Half of UK gig economy workers earn below minimum wage, study reveals

theguardian.com:

More than half of gig economy workers in the UK are earning less than the minimum wage, new research has found, with a quarter reporting that the nature of their work put their safety at risk.

In a study led by the University of Bristol, gig economy workers whose jobs included food delivery, private-hire driving and data entry were asked to report their earnings and working conditions: 52% of respondents reported earning less than the minimum wage, with the median respondent earning £8.97 an hour – 53p less than the minimum wage, which was £9.50 at the time of the research.

Of the 510 people questioned, more than 75% also reported experiencing work-related insecurity and anxiety.

Alex Wood, lead author of the study, said: “The findings highlight that working in the UK gig economy often entails low pay, anxiety and stress. As food, fuel and housing costs keep rising, this group of workers is especially vulnerable and needs to be more adequately remunerated and better protected.”

More than a quarter of respondents felt they were risking their health or safety by engaging in gig economy work, and a quarter reported experiencing pain as a result. In addition, 40% felt there was a chance they would lose their ability to make a living on their main digital platform and become unemployed in the next 12 months.

Wood said: “The self-employed who are dependent on platforms to make a living are urgently in need of labour protections to shield them against the huge power asymmetries that exist in the sector. This clearly warrants the expansion of the current ‘worker’ status to protect them.”

The gig economy is made distinct from traditional forms of freelance work by its reliance on digital platforms, most commonly used by drivers and