A recent study by UK’s Professional Contractors Group (PCG) has shown that there are 1.4 million freelance workers in the UK. This represents a 14 per cent rise in individuals leveraging the benefits of this alternative working lifestyle since 1998.

The study indicates that 62 per cent of contractors are male and 38 per cent are female. John Brazier, managing director of PCG, said the study provided a "credible outline of the size and characteristics of our dynamic freelance workforce", something he claimed had not existed until now.

Referring to contracting in general, he added: "The freelance community has grown over the last ten years and all the signs indicate that it will continue to grow"