Figure 1: Participation in freelance contracting, % of national workforce, 2015 and 2022
| Category | 2015 (%) | 2022 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly freelance work | 5.2 | 10.4 |
| Monthly freelance work | 6.1 | 12.5 |
| Freelance work at least once a year | 8.5 | 15.1 |
| Freelance work ever undertaken | 10.1 | 16.2 |
| Actively seeking freelance work | 22.5 | 29.8 |
Note: Freelance work is defined as project-based or task-based contracts undertaken independently without a permanent employment contract.
Figure 2: Median after-tax real weekly earnings of permanent salaried employees and freelance contractors, 2012 to 2021 (£)
| Year | Permanent Salaried, £ | Freelance Contractors, £ |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 580 | 420 |
| 2013 | 570 | 410 |
| 2014 | 560 | 415 |
| 2015 | 555 | 420 |
| 2016 | 560 | 430 |
| 2017 | 565 | 445 |
| 2018 | 565 | 450 |
| 2019 | 570 | 465 |
| 2020 | 560 | 470 |
| 2021 | 565 | 475 |
Note: Base year for real earnings is 2021.
Explain how the data in Extract A (Figure 2) show that the incentive for workers to choose freelance contract work rather than permanent salaried roles increased between 2012 and 2021.
64 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Economics 1.6 The labour market (A-level only), covering 1.6.1 The demand for labour, marginal productivity theory, 1.6.2 Influences upon the supply of labour to different markets, 1.6.3 The determination of relative wage rates and levels of employment in perfectly competitive labour markets, 1.6.4 The determination of relative wage rates and levels of employment in imperfectly competitive labour markets, 1.6.5 The Influence of trade unions in determining wages and levels of employment, 1.6.6 The National Minimum Wage, and 1.6.7 Discrimination in the labour market. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.