IPSE demands clarity on gig economy

26 Apr 2021

The government needs to provide clarity around the status and rights of gig economy workers, says the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE).

The demand follows the Court of Appeal's ruling that Addison Lee drivers are in fact workers and entitled to holiday pay and the national minimum wage. The courier had appealed against the judgement of a 2017 Employment Tribunal case that first found their drivers were workers.

The ruling means that thousands of drivers could be entitled to an average £10,000 each in compensation. It is the latest victory for gig economy workers after the UK supreme court ruled that Uber drivers should be classed as workers.

Derek Cribb, CEO of IPSE, said: 'The Addison Lee judgement is yet another sign after the Uber case that the government must urgently step in on the confusion in the gig economy.

'The gig economy is a tangled mix not only of people who should truly be categorised as workers, but also a very large number of legitimately self-employed people who rely on the flexibility that freelancing offers.

'Both to restore the rights of exploited workers and also to secure freedom and flexibility for legitimately self-employed people, we urge the government to write into law a clear definition of self-employment.'