How do you make life more livable for the self-employed? This question has been at the center of the RSA’s research into Self-Employment for the past two years.
One of the aspects that we wanted to draw more attention to was the connection between affluence and self-employment.
And so today, we launch a new short film: “Does it take money to make money?” We hope that by raising awareness of the problem, we can build momentum to help push forward changes that will allow self-employment to be a viable career option for more people.
We have also distilled the thinking from our past research into the new RSA Self Employment Charter which we also launch today. Crucially, the Charter has benefitted from input from Fellows of the RSA, who have fed into both the research underlying it as well as commented on the Charter itself.
We hope that people will share the video, and will find the Charter a useful document. Our plan for this year is to try and turn some our recommendations into action. We have already worked closely with the government review into Self Employment, holding a roundtable event that brought together Fellows, RSA experts, and other experts with a key official from the review.
We now would like to ask Fellows to read the recommendations in the Charter and – if they agree with them – let us know whether they, or any of their contacts, could help bring them to life. Please email [email protected] with your feedback.
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To me, this has still missed the most worrying thing about being self-employed and that is what happens if you are sick. Likewise, whilst I don't what to have hcildren there would be no way I could take maternity leave. This is hardness bit to solve. Whilst prompts for saving and pensions woudld be good, it is not as if this can't be managed with self discipline at present. possible medium term sickness is the hardness. Short term you manage, long term you would probably just ahve to give up. Some sort of insurance scheme would be useful. Possibly a means to contribute more to prepare for maternity leave. The danger is that companies would take advantage and put people on contracts and use the insurance scheme as an excuse for not employing people properly.
As someone who started my own accountancy practice from nothing nearly forty years ago, I have seen many issues that affect the self employed, both from the personal perspective and from the client prospective.
The basis of a successful business is good marketing, the development of an excellent product, and to have a sound business plan property funded, either by capital injection or sensible borrowing. The government can't tell you how to run your business, it has to come from the heart. Governments can help by not moving the goal posts too often, but basically the business must develop on its own merit and the entrepreneur skills of its management.
Thanks very much.
Typo in point one of eight practical ideas
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