Following its contribution to the BIS consultation process last year, FCSA is pleased that Julie Deane’s report just out has recognised that a range of measures needs to be addressed to help people working for themselves.
Those measures include education to better prepare young people for the role which self-employment might play in their future, a need for more flexible financial solutions, from insurance to pensions to mortgages and, despite taxation being outside the remit of the review, the report recognised that taxation is a significant issue for the self-employed and Deane recommended that the Government looks at this properly.
Commenting on the findings Julia Kermode, CEO of FCSA said: “Julie Deane’s report is positive for the self-employed and we welcome her recommendations if the self-employed sector is to thrive and grow in the UK. The vast majority of self-employed people choose to become self-employed and see it as positive choice so I hope that the Government listens to Ms Deane’s recommendations and addresses the concerns she has unveiled by listening to this group of workers. More needs to be done to support the self-employed in the UK and removing excessive regulation and red tape is a must, as Ms Deane points out.
“Increasing numbers of people are opting to become self-employed and it is essential that this economically important workforce is nurtured not hindered. FCSA looks forward to hearing how the Government responds to Ms Deane’s report in the coming weeks and months.”
