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Why self employment works for the neurodiverse

Why self-employment works for the neurodiverse (with stats that finally back this up!)

As part of ADHD awareness week, IPSE’s Joshua Toovey uses our latest research to review why self-employment works for the neurodiverse.

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Josh Toovey
24 Oct 2024
2.5 minutes
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The findings

As part of our quarterly Confidence Index surveys, we asked 573 freelancers a series of questions relating to neurodiversity.

In total, 18% of the self-employed consider themselves to be neurodiverse. This is slightly higher than the UK-wide estimation of 15%, suggesting that the self-employed are slightly more likely to be neurodiverse.

Of those that reported that they were neurodiverse, 43% indicated that they had Autism, 28% reported they had ADHD or ADD whilst a further 12% had Dyslexia. A further 2% indicated that they have Dyscalculia.

Note: Respondents could select multiple responses to this question.

Overall, 63% of all freelancers thought that there was a beneficial link between neurodiversity and self-employment – a very positive indication that self-employment works for the neurodiverse.

Neurodiverse self employment findings

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