Ten years of facts, figures and developments on self-employment

Ten years ago, the self-employed without staff was mainly a symbol of flexibility and entrepreneurship. Now, the debate on the position of self-employed workers is more topical than ever. With the lifting of the enforcement moratorium, new bills such as the VBAR and compulsory AOV for the self-employed, it is time to take stock. 

We therefore present - together with ZiPconomy and ONL for Entrepreneurs - the report 'A decade of the self-employed' for the third time. The report conveniently brings together facts, figures and trends on the Dutch self-employed from 2015 to 2025.

Key insights 

• The number of self-employed people grew 44% in a decade, but is now falling for the first time in a long time. 
• Only 2.7% of self-employed people work because a client asked them to - forced self-employment is thus rare. 
• 8 in 10 self-employed people are (very) satisfied with entrepreneurship. 
• The self-employed are both 'ageing' and 'greening': 33% are 55-plus, but young self-employed people are also on the rise. 
• More and more self-employed people build up provisions for disability and pensions. 

Facts as basis for policy and practice 

The public debate on self-employment is often about false self-employment and rules, but rarely about the facts. This report offers clients, policymakers and other stakeholders insight into the diversity and development of self-employed workers. This will create a more realistic picture of their role in the labour market. Not as an exception, but as an essential part of the Dutch economy.