Seven in ten business owners say unpaid work is expected in their industry, survey finds

Many self-employed professionals report regularly working unpaid hours each week as pitching, revisions and admin tasks increase, according to a new survey.

• Seven in ten SMEs (70.9%) say unpaid work is expected or becoming more common in their industry
• Over two in five (41.6%) say unpaid work is simply expected
• More than two in five small business owners (42%) work at least five unpaid hours each week
• Nearly a quarter (22.9%) say they regularly work more than 10 unpaid hours per week
• More than one in three (35.4%) say they work a few unpaid hours weekly

Unpaid work is becoming an accepted part of self-employed life across many industries, according to new research from The Accountancy Partnership.

A survey of 1,060 freelancers and self-employed professionals across the UK found that seven in ten (70.9%) believe unpaid work is either expected or becoming more common in their industry.

When asked about expectations around unpaid work:

• More than four in ten small business owners (41.6%) said unpaid work is simply expected
• Nearly three in ten (29.3%) said unpaid work sometimes happens and is becoming more common
• Just over one in five (21.3%) said unpaid work is avoidable
• Seven in 100 respondents (7.7%) said they were unsure

The findings suggest that many self-employed people regularly perform work that isn’t directly compensated, including preparing proposals, pitching for new clients, responding to client enquiries or completing additional tasks outside the scope of agreed projects.

Many small business owners work unpaid hours every week

The research also highlights how common unpaid hours have become for self-employed professionals.

When asked how often they work unpaid hours:

• Nearly one in four (22.9%) said they regularly work more than 10 unpaid hours per week
• Nearly one in five (19.1%) said they work between five and ten unpaid hours weekly
• More than one in three (35.4%) said they work a few unpaid hours each week

Taken together, the data shows that more than two in five small business owners (42%) work at least five unpaid hours every week.

For many, this work takes place outside paid projects and includes activities such as preparing proposals, attending unpaid meetings, pitching for work or completing additional revisions for clients.

Late payments and client expectations adding pressure

Unpaid work can also intersect with wider challenges facing small businesses, including late payments and fluctuating demand.

Research into the UK’s small business economy has repeatedly highlighted the scale of the late payments problem, with billions of pounds still owed to small businesses across the country.

Combining unpaid preparatory work with delayed invoices can significantly impact earnings and working hours.

Lee Murphy, Managing Director at The Accountancy Partnership, says unpaid labour is often seen as part of self-employed culture but can quickly accumulate.

“Many business owners accept that some unpaid work comes with the territory, whether that’s pitching for new projects or providing additional support to maintain client relationships,” Murphy said. “However, consistently working unpaid hours can quickly add up and impact both earnings and work-life balance. Even a few hours of unpaid work each week can translate into a significant amount of lost income over the course of a year.”

Murphy says clearer agreements around project scope and expectations can help businesses protect their time.

“Any business owner wants to provide the best possible service for their clients, but it’s important that expectations around deliverables, revisions and pricing are clearly defined from the start.”

Administrative tasks also adding to unpaid workload

For many, unpaid work extends beyond client-facing tasks.

Administrative responsibilities such as invoicing, bookkeeping and tax reporting can also add hours of work that are rarely billed to clients.

Upcoming changes to tax reporting requirements may add further administrative demands. Under Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax, individuals earning above £50,000 from self-employment or property will need to submit quarterly digital updates to HMRC from April 2026, with further expansions planned in later years.

Murphy says these administrative tasks are often overlooked when considering how self-employed people spend their time.

“The work doesn’t stop when the client project ends,” Murphy said. “Administrative tasks like bookkeeping, tax reporting and compliance can take up a significant amount of time each month, and it’s work that often isn’t factored into billable hours.”

He added that digital tools and better financial processes can help reduce the burden.

“Changes such as Making Tax Digital are designed to modernise the tax system, but they also highlight how important it is for small businesses to have efficient systems in place so compliance doesn’t take time away from their core work.”

Flexibility still a major attraction of self-employment

Despite the prevalence of unpaid work, many business owners continue to value the independence and flexibility that self-employment offers.

Previous findings from the same survey suggest that over half say their work-life balance has improved since becoming self-employed, highlighting the trade-offs many professionals are willing to accept in exchange for greater control over their careers.

Murphy believes that flexibility remains one of the defining strengths of self-employment.

“Being your own boss offers a level of independence that many people find extremely valuable,” he said.

“While there are challenges, including unpaid work and fluctuating workloads, many self-employed professionals still prefer the flexibility and autonomy that comes with running their own business.”

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