Demand Soars for Self-Employed Trades, Driven by Fitness Boom and Renovations
Analysis of government data reveals a significant increase in job adverts for trades such as driving instructors, bricklayers, and fitness professionals.
The number of self-employed tradespeople in high demand has surged, with driving instructors, market traders, and fitness instructors seeing significant growth in job advertisements over the past year. This trend reflects a broader increase in self-employment in Britain, which has seen a 5% rise in sole traders in the last year alone, contributing significantly to the national economy.
Analysis of Office for National Statistics data by business insurer Protectivity identified the ten most in-demand self-employed trades. Driving instructors topped the list, with job adverts increasing by 58% in the past year. This surge is attributed to persistent test-booking backlogs since the pandemic, an aging instructor population, and a growing number of young drivers.
Market and street traders followed, with a 48% increase in adverts, and childminders saw a 40% rise. The construction and renovation sector also showed strong demand, with bricklayers, floorers, tilers, and plasterers experiencing increased interest as homeowners opt for renovations over moving.
The fitness industry is also experiencing a boom, with an 18% surge in adverts for fitness instructors. This trend is particularly pronounced in reformer pilates, a variation of the exercise regime that has seen an explosion in popularity. Protectivity's own data indicates a 948% increase in insurance policies taken out by firms offering reformer pilates classes in the past year. Other martial arts, including martial arts, kickboxing, and boxercise, also saw substantial growth in demand for instructors.
Chris Trotman, head of sales and underwriting at Protectivity, noted that the data indicates a "genuine window of opportunity" for individuals with the right skills to pursue self-employment. He highlighted that the demand for fitness instructors is growing at more than double the rate of new businesses entering the industry.
Overall, the self-employed economy in Britain has grown by 17% since 2010. Small businesses now employ 16.9 million people and generate £2.8 trillion in annual turnover. Online searches for "register for self employment" have also increased by 36% over the past quarter, suggesting a growing appetite for independent work.