Self-Employment in North West
North West is one of the UK's 12 statistical regions. Self-employment here means residents who work for themselves — sole traders, freelancers, contractors and partners — rather than as employees. According to the Office for National Statistics, 481,702 people were self-employed in North West in 2019, equal to 14.0% of the region's workforce.
Quick answer
How North West compares to the UK
North West ranks 4th of 12 UK regions by the number of self-employed people and 8th by self-employment rate. Its 14.0% rate is above the UK-wide figure of 13.4% (Jan-Mar 2026). See all 12 UK regions →
Frequently asked questions
- How many people are self-employed in North West?
- 481,702 people are self-employed in North West as of 2019, making up 14.0% of the region's workforce. Source: ONS Annual Population Survey 2019 (Self-employment by NUTS1 region), OGL v3.0.
- What is the self-employment rate in North West?
- The self-employment rate in North West is 14.0% (2019), which is above the UK figure of 13.4%. North West ranks 8th out of 12 UK regions by self-employment rate.
- Where does North West rank in the UK for self-employment?
- North West ranks 4th of 12 UK regions by the number of self-employed people (481,702) and 8th by self-employment rate (14.0%).
Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS), Self-employment by NUTS1 (region) (2019, released 2020-04-17). Survey source: Annual Population Survey (regional, 2018-based weights) / Labour Force Survey (national). Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Data accessed and verified 2026-06-27.