According to new research from Contractor Calculator, 80% of self-employed UK workers say they are not vulnerable workers and do not want any rights.

The survey comes as UK Ministers announced an HMRC crackdown and have planned to set up a new unit, the employment status and intermediaries team, to target the exploitation of the self-employed. The survey results come as Uber drivers await the verdict of an employment tribunal which will decide whether they should be classed as workers rather than self-employed and should therefore be entitled to the same rights as employees - the minimum wage, sickness pay, holiday pay, a pension and other statutory benefits.

They survey, which polled 250 freelancers, also showed that 88% do not want maternity/paternity rights; 82% do not want sickness pay, 25% are insured and 80% use savings instead; 85% shun holiday rights and pay. All take holidays around contracts or negotiate time off with clients; 75% do not want to be forced into auto-enrolment of a pension; 80% do not want extra rights to help with grievances or disciplinary matters; and 94% do not want any restrictions on hours worked and are happy to manage their own affairs

“It is clear from the results of our research that freelancers and contractors love the gig economy and do not want rights,” Dave Chaplin CEO and founder of Contractor Calculator who conducted the survey said. “Government needs to understand that media reports associated with self-employed couriers and drivers who are part of the gig economy do not paint the full picture of self-employment.  There are thousands upon thousands of the self-employed working on a business to business basis who are very happy with the way they work and the last thing they want is further legislative burdens.  They do not see themselves as vulnerable workers.”

“Under the Coalition and Cameron administration we have been used to seeing knee-jerk legislation that has applied abundant red tape on the small business sector,” Chaplin said.  “Government needs to understand and be very careful about how it decides to legislate and protect under paid workers who make up part of the low-paid gig economy without destroying the very valuable freelancer sector that underpins the UK workforce and economy.  It is important that we protect low paid workers, but I would appeal to the Government not to ruin the freelance sector in the process.  More red tape for freelancers will be sure to damage the economy and as we prepare to leave the EU these workers will be vital to the process.”

The size of the UK’s Gig Economy is estimated by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) in its latest report: The Global Gig Economy 2016, published October 3, 2016. SIA estimate 6.5% of the UK employed workforce are Independent Contractors.