York secures UK's freelancing hotspot crown

Four of the five biggest growth hubs for freelance professionals are north of the M25, according to freelance community, PeoplePerHour.com, with York crowned as the fastest-growing area for self-employed creatives and entrepreneurs in the UK.

While London dominates when it comes to hourly rates for online creatives especially, PeoplePerHour.com believes the number of growth hubs outside of the capital means it is “by no means” the primary hotspot for freelance growth.

Xenios Thrasyvoulou, founder, PeoplePerHour.com, said: “As more people realise that remote working allows them to command London pay rates without the expense of living in the capital, it’s likely that there will be a dispersal of talent throughout the UK, redressing the earnings balance.”

After York, the next three biggest growth hubs for freelance professionals is Hull, Durham and Northampton. The southerly town thought to be experiencing the biggest surge of freelancers and entrepreneurs is Reading.

York appears to be leading the way for freelance growth by some considerable distance with the number of freelancers found living there increasing by 195 per cent since 2013 alone.

The other three more northerly towns regarded as the biggest growth hubs for freelancers (Hull, Durham and Northampton) have only double-digit growth percentages.

PeoplePerHour.com also found that many modest rural communities are hot on the heels of Central London when it comes to the amount freelancers living in these areas can earn.

Although the area of Holborn in Central London commands the country’s best hourly freelance rates of £300, the unassuming Welsh town of Carmarthen (£145 per hour) and the villages of Farnham Royal (£100) and Great Missenden (£100) are ranked third, seventh and eighth respectively on the overall list.

“Carmarthen in Wales perhaps surprisingly boasts the third highest hourly rate,” said the PeoplePerHour.com website.

“Great Missenden, a small village in Buckinghamshire, also makes an appearance in the top ten, with £100 per hour charged by freelancers residing there.”

Date published 2 Jun 2016 | Last updated 2 Jun 2016