The UK government should extend tax-free training options to the self-employed, IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed, said in a statement today. The group was responding to a report by the Intergenerational Commission, which found that younger people are more likely to be self-employed if they don’t have a degree.

Additionally, the Intergenerational Commission called for a right to a regular contract for those doing regular hours on zero-hours contracts and requiring firms contracting for self-employed labour to make pension contributions. It also proposed a £10,000 “citizens inheritance” for training, to start a business or save for housing or a pension. The Intergenerational Commission is run by the Resolution Foundation, an independent think tank.

In its comments, IPSE noted self-employed workers are not entitled to tax relief when training for new skills, unlike employees.

“The report released today confirms what IPSE has been saying for some time: the extraordinary rise of the self-employed since 2000 represents a structural, not cyclical, shift in the UK,” said Chris Bryce, CEO of IPSE.

“However, with close to 4.8 million people now choosing to work for themselves, the government’s training and skills policy is increasingly out of touch with the way people work,” Bryce said. “One of the biggest barriers to self-employed people improving their circumstances is poor access to training. Extending tax relief for training to the self-employed will help younger self-employed people gain skills to enable them to progress in their careers.”