Self-employed workers record 35% fewer sick days than employees

MetLife UK research found

Jaskeet Briah
clock • 2 min read

Self-employed individuals have taken 35% fewer sick days than employed workers due to the potential loss of income, MetLife UK has found.

According to the provider's Everyday Risk Report, 13% of the UK's workforce is self-employed, the equivalent of 4.23 million people. On average, self-employed individuals have been taking 3.9 sick days per year, compared to employed individuals who have taken an average of six days per year. MetLife noted that self-employed individuals typically earn less at the highest levels of income than those employed. Around 69% of the self-employed earned over £30,000 a year, compared to 81% of employees, therefore MetLife said this cohort is more financially vulnerable. The self-employed were ...

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