Report calls for training for self-employed to be tax deductible

Training for the self employed should be made tax deductible, according to a new report from IPSE, the Association of Independent professionals and the Self-Employed.

The report – ‘Eight ways to upskill the self-employed’ – puts forward a range of recommendations on upskilling the self-employed in a fast-evolving economy so they do not get left behind.

The report’s recommendations include:

• Introducing Adult Education Vouchers to incentivise lifelong learning among low-income groups;
• Making apprenticeship levy funding available for employment agencies to subsidise training for the self-employed people they represent;
• Making training for new skills tax-deductible for the self-employed;
• Establishing a self-employment hub to improve signposting to trusted online training providers;
• Introducing enterprise modules in higher and further education courses which produce a higher proportion of self-employed graduates.

Imogen Farhan, IPSE Policy and External Affairs Officer, said: “The current system for training both unfairly disadvantages the self-employed and flies in the face of the Government’s goal to create a flexible labour market capable of adapting to rapid technological advancement.

“To level the playing field, our report, ‘Eight ways to upskill the self-employed’, provides a bold yet achievable strategy that will enable the self-employed – from all industries and walks of life – to invest in training at every stage of their careers.

“Catering for the breadth of self-employment, the report looks at how to help more vulnerable, low-income self-employed people progress in their careers, how to make training more affordable and how to help the self-employed fit training around unpredictable schedules. It also considers ways of preparing young people for self-employment and ensuring the construction industry has the skilled workforce it needs.”

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