Rising number of teens in Britain expects to be their own boss

LONDON. KAZINFORM - As the number of teenagers working for themselves continues to rise in Britain, a new report released Monday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed over one in five 16- to 21-year-olds expects to be self-employed, Xinhua reports.

Data showed that 9 percent 22- to 30-year-olds are self-employed after leaving education. They earn less than employees on average, sometimes having worked longer hours.

Figures revealed there were more than 500,000 self-employed 22 -to 30-year-olds across Britain in 2018, a third more than there were in 2008.

ONS said income from self-employment has fluctuated since the recession in 2008, and remains below pre-downturn levels.

«While many 16- to 21-year-olds associate self-employment with a high income, the reality is that self-employed workers earn around 3,800 pounds less per year, on average, than employees. This is despite many of them working longer hours,» said ONS.

Those in their late teens and early 20s rate an interesting job and job security as most important for their future careers, said ONS.

«However, family time and a high income emerge as motivating factors for those who wish to be self-employed, compared with those who do not,» said the ONS report.