Research and Statistics

Self-employment and retirement

Research Report No. 395

by Roy Sainsbury, Naomi Finch and Anne Corden

This report presents the findings of a research project designed:

  • to explore how self-employed people plan financially for retirement and what influences their decisions; and
  • to gain information about ways in which self-employment may offer flexibility to extend working lives.

    The research was undertaken against the background of growing policy interest in pension provision, with the appointment of the Pensions Commission in 2002 and the subsequent publication of a government White Paper on pensions in spring 2006.

    The Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of York undertook the research on behalf of the Department. A qualitative approach was adopted and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 people over 40 years old (some of whom had already reached State Pension Age) whose earnings came from self-employment. A range of occupations were represented within the study group.

    October 2006

    ISBN 1 84712 106 3

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