Own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Own-account workers, total was 12.7% in 2016. ▲ Rising

Latest (2016)
12.7%
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
134th
of 187 countries
All-time high
12.7%
in 2016
All-time low
8.7%
in 2000
Years of data
26
1991–2016

Own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1991–2016

0510151991200320161991: 9.1 % of total employment1992: 9 % of total employment1993: 9.1 % of total employment1994: 9.5 % of total employment1995: 9.6 % of total employment1996: 9.4 % of total employment1997: 9.3 % of total employment1998: 9 % of total employment1999: 9.1 % of total employment2000: 8.7 % of total employment2001: 8.7 % of total employment2002: 8.9 % of total employment2003: 9.5 % of total employment2004: 9.7 % of total employment2005: 9.8 % of total employment2006: 10 % of total employment2007: 10.2 % of total employment2008: 10.2 % of total employment2009: 10.6 % of total employment2010: 11.1 % of total employment2011: 11.4 % of total employment2012: 11.8 % of total employment2013: 11.8 % of total employment2014: 12.4 % of total employment2015: 12.3 % of total employment2016: 12.7 % of total employment

Source: World Bank. Measured in % of total employment.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 12.7% for own-account workers, total in 2016. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 12.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 8.7%, in 2000.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 134th out of 187 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Own-account workers, total (% of total employment) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1991 to 2016.
Year % of total employment Change
1991 9.1%
1992 9.0% -0.6%
1993 9.1% +1.1%
1994 9.5% +4.8%
1995 9.6% +0.5%
1996 9.4% -1.6%
1997 9.3% -1.5%
1998 9.0% -3.3%
1999 9.1% +1.2%
2000 8.7% -4.2%
2001 8.7% +0.2%
2002 8.9% +2.6%
2003 9.5% +6.6%
2004 9.7% +2.0%
2005 9.8% +0.3%
2006 10.0% +2.6%
2007 10.2% +1.9%
2008 10.2% +0.3%
2009 10.6% +3.2%
2010 11.1% +4.9%
2011 11.4% +2.6%
2012 11.8% +4.0%
2013 11.8% +0.2%
2014 12.4% +4.6%
2015 12.3% -0.9%
2016 12.7% +3.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 9.2% 9.0% 9.6% 9
2000s 9.6% 8.7% 10.6% 10
2010s 11.9% 11.1% 12.7% 7

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 131 Costa Rica 13.9% compare
  2. 132 Czechia 13.5% compare
  3. 133 French Polynesia 13.0% compare
  4. 135 Portugal 12.4% compare
  5. 136 Netherlands 12.4% compare
  6. 137 Israel 12.2% compare

See the full ranking of 213 places →

More work & labour data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 12.7% in 2016, according to the World Bank.
What is the highest own-account workers, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2016.
What is the lowest own-account workers, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 8.7% in 2000.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for own-account workers, total?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 134th out of 187 countries with data for 2016.
Is own-account workers, total rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Own-account workers, total (% of total employment). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Own-account workers, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/own-account-workers-total-percent-of-total-employment/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Own-account workers, total (% of total employment)
Unit
% of total employment
Source
World Bank
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
213 places, 5,537 data points, 1991–2016
Last refreshed