The gig economy, a hot labour market topic since the financial crisis in 2008, refers to people who trade their time and skills through online platforms (websites or apps), and provide a service to a third party as a form of paid employment.
This report uses unpublished data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey to provide new insights on the scale and nature of the UK’s gig economy.
This report informs policy-makers about the profile of the gig economy in the UK and offers recommendations for guidance on how to improve employment conditions for those working in the gig economy.
Key findings
 |
Just under half a million people in the UK work in the gig economy, and only a fifth of those see it as their main source of income. |
 |
Men working in the UK gig economy are more likely to see it as their main source of income than women. |
 |
Ethnic minorities working in the UK gig economy are more likely to see it as their main source of income than those from a white background. |
 |
People with disabilities working in the UK gig economy are more likely to see it as their main source of income than those without disabilities. |
 |
The non-transportation gig economy in the UK far exceeds the size of the transportation gig economy. It includes manual personal and desk-based services in a plethora of occupations. A large proportion of this group have the gig economy as their side hustle. |
 |
Those in the transportation gig economy are more likely to be reliant on it as their main source of income and be self-employed in their main job. We describe this as the ‘visible’ gig economy. |
CIPD Trust
Tackling barriers to work today whilst creating inclusive workplaces of tomorrow.
Bullying
and harassment
Discover our practice guidance and recommendations to tackle bullying and harassment in the workplace.
Practical guidance to help you identify and implement good atypical working practices
Explore the CIPD’s point of view on employment status, rights and regulation, including recommendations for employers and actions for the UK Government
Understand how being defined in UK law as an employee, a worker or self-employed affects employment rights and employers’ legal responsibilities
Explore our collection of resources around legal issues surrounding employees and workers, including Q&As for various types of workers and relevant case law
Insight from the CIPD’s survey into factors driving pay decisions in UK workplaces and recommendations for practice
Find out about the importance of neuroinclusive workplaces, what employers are doing and the working experiences of neurodivergent and neurotypical employees
Read our latest Labour Market Outlook report for analysis on employers’ recruitment, redundancy and pay intentions this winter
This report explores employees’ experiences of menstruation and menstrual health at work and details how employers can develop a supportive culture