Side-Hustles on the Rise Among UK's Healthcare and Education Sectors
New data from the UK Direct Selling Association (DSA) shows a 36% increase in people direct selling in the UK in the first quarter of 2023. It’s a reflection of how people are seeking to boost household incomes.
An estimated 500,000 people in the UK work in the direct selling sector, with the majority (64%) doing so as a side-hustle alongside another job and working less than ten hours per week (42%), mostly in the evening (37%).
Almost a fifth (19%) of those with direct selling side-hustles work in healthcare, and 15% work in education, with most (64%) reporting that they scale their side-hustle up or down to suit how much they want to earn each month, or to work around other commitments.
The rising cost of living
The increase in the first quarter of 2023 is being attributed to people needing to offset the rising cost of living and looking for ways to earn additional household income without the need to commute or pay for additional childcare. 38% reported that one of the main drivers for taking up this type of side-hustle was to be able to work from home.
Zoe Carter, who works her Forever business alongside teaching as well as being a busy mum of three said, “The increase in those with backgrounds in education starting Forever and other businesses doesn’t come as a surprise to me. Certainly the increase in cost of living is having an impact as people look for ways of earning an additional income, but the changes in the teaching profession over the years is also a factor.
"Increased administrative workloads, including the pressures of paperwork, assessment and data input, results, and the time involved in meetings has taken teachers away from their pupils and making a difference in their lives, which for many was their main motivation in joining the profession.”
Bernie Rafferty, a former paediatric nurse and mum of four added, “The nursing profession is a tough career, as it involves working long hours. When you have a family, this can really affect your work/life balance as you spend so much time away. It’s often not an option to reduce your hours when you are dependent on the income, and especially now for many there is just no disposable income left at the end of the month.
"Having a side-hustle is a fantastic option to allow you to have that extra income to relieve the pressure financially or to reduce your hours to have more balance which is what I did. A side-hustle was a huge lifeline to me.”
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For more information about average FBO earnings, please see Forever’s Annual Income Disclosure Statement at foreverliving.com/income-disclosure.
