Research and analysis

Different Ways of Working: Research on Employment Status in the UK

Research exploring the number and characteristics of workers in the UK workforce in 2019.

Documents

Different Ways of Working: Research on Employment Status in the UK - main report

Details

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) commissioned research agency Kantar Public to conduct independent research to improve HMRC’s understanding of individuals with ‘worker’ employment status for rights.

The term ‘worker’ includes employees and individuals with other contract types (known as limb (b) workers) under the Employment Rights Act 1996.

The quantitative research consisted of a large-scale survey with a representative sample of UK adults. Those who could be immediately identified as employees, self-employed or not in paid work were screened out. The remaining sample were asked additional questions to identify the likelihood of them being categorised as ‘workers’, as opposed to self-employed.

The full survey results were then used to estimate the number of individuals in the overall UK workforce likely to have ‘worker’ status (including employees and limb (b) workers).

Fieldwork was conducted between November 2018 and January 2019. Due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the findings may no longer be an accurate reflection of the labour market.

This report outlines findings on ‘workers’ in the UK, as of early 2019, including:

  • a ranged estimate of the number of individuals in the overall UK workforce likely to have ‘worker’ status (including employees and limb (b) workers)

  • the employment status assigned to individuals likely to have ‘worker’ status

  • demographic and economic characteristics of individuals likely to have ‘worker’ status

Updates to this page

Published 26 July 2022

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