Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people were registered as self-employed in each year between 2017 and 2022.

Estimates of the number of self-employed individuals is published yearly in the Survey of Personal Income (SPI), which is based on information held by HMRC on individuals who could be liable to UK Income Tax. The estimates for the tax years 2017-2018 to 2020-2021can be found at the following link:

Table 3.10.

1. The tables are based on individuals with sources of self-employment income, whether taxpayers or not, and the source is the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI).
2. Estimates for 2018-2019 to 2020-2021 are not comparable with the estimate for 2017-2018 due to a methodological change. From the 2018-2019 SPI, the grossing factors were revised to better reflect the population of individuals submitting Self Assessment returns.
3. Further information can be found here supporting documentation.