It is widely believed that freelancers take little time off and are tied to their work. Although this report finds that there is some truth to this on average, the overall picture is actually much more varied. 

At the bottom end of the scale, one in ten freelancers reported taking no days off at all last year. At the top end of the scale, however, a third (34 % ) took 25 days or more and one in seven (13 % ) took 40 days or more. 

More freelancers should be encouraged to shift towards the top end of this scale, because when they take time off, 92 per cent report it having a positive effect of some kind. Three in five (59 % ) said it improved their work-life balance, almost half (44 % ) said it improved their relationships with loved ones and family, and 44 per cent said it made them less stressed and anxious. 

It appears that concerns about stability and their client relationships hold freelancers back from taking more leave. Nearly two-thirds (62 % ) said they were worried about letting their clients down, while 60 per cent said they were concerned about future periods without work and 57 per cent said they did not want to lose money when they could be working instead. 

Freelancers even seem to feel pressure to take less time off for parenthood, with the average freelancer taking just six weeks off for the birth or adoption of a child. One in six (16 % ) even report taking no time off at all for the birth or adoption of their child. 

Another problem is that freelancers generally struggle to switch off even when they are away. Four out of five (78 % ) admit to working while on holiday, with over half (58 % ) replying to work emails while away and more than a third (37 % ) taking work calls. Twenty-eight per cent even said they work remotely while on holiday. 

The good news, however, is that it is not just wellbeing: there is also a business case for freelancers switching off and taking more holidays. Almost two-thirds (63 % ) of freelancers surveyed said that taking time off improved their work performance in some way. 

We produced a set of recommendations for Government and business to support freelancers in taking more time off and thus improve their wellbeing, mental health and even performance.

Recommendations

1. Introduce fair Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and parental pay for freelancers. 
2. Improve access to savings or private insurance to cover for sick days. 
3. Make training for the self-employed easier to access, so freelancers feel more able to take time off for this. 
4. End late payment to stop freelancers having to chase clients during their time off. 
5. Raise awareness about the benefits of taking time off for freelancers’ mental health, wellbeing and productivity.