One of the questions that comes up most often among people starting out in the creative industries is whether to pursue full-time employment or go it alone as a freelancer. It’s a more significant decision than it might first appear, and there’s no universal right answer; the best path depends on where you are in your creative career, how you work best, and what you actually want from your professional life.
What is clear is that both routes are well-established in the UK creative sector. Self-employment accounts for 28% of creative industries employment, compared to just 14% across the wider UK workforce, so whichever direction you choose, you’ll be in good company.
What does ‘freelance’ mean?
The term gets used loosely, so it’s worth being clear about what it actually means. There is no specific definition of freelancer in UK employment law, but freelancers are generally understood to be self-employed contractors or consultants who work for different clients on a flexible basis.
In practice, that means you find your own work, set your own rates, manage your own tax through Self Assessment, and take on the administrative responsibilities that an employer would otherwise handle. Some creative freelancers work project to project across multiple clients at once; others work on longer-term contracts that can look a lot like employment from the outside. The key difference is that you’re running your own business rather than working for someone else’s, you can choose the creative projects that you want to work on and when you’re working.
Pros and cons of freelance vs employed
| Pros | Cons | |
| Freelance | You set your own rates and can earn more per day than an equivalent salaried role | Income is irregular, particularly when starting out |
| Freedom to choose who you work with and what projects you take on | No sick pay, holiday pay, or employer pension contributions | |
| Variety – different clients, briefs, and industries keep the work interesting | You’re responsible for finding your own work, chasing invoices, and handling tax | |
| You can build a portfolio across multiple sectors quickly | Isolation can be a challenge without a team around you | |
| Employed | Reliable monthly income and a clearer picture of what you’re earning | Less control over the projects and clients you work with |
| Employee benefits, paid holiday, sick pay, pension, and sometimes training budgets | Career progression can be slower depending on the size of the organisation | |
| Structure, mentorship, and the opportunity to learn from a team | Less flexibility around working hours and location | |
| Easier to get a mortgage or financial products with a regular salary | Redundancy is a risk if the business changes direction |
What about day rates vs salary?
If you’re weighing up the financial side, it’s worth understanding that freelance day rates and salaries don’t translate directly. Freelancers generally charge higher day rates to account for the gaps between contracts, the cost of running a business, and the benefits they don’t receive, such as holiday pay and pension contributions.
A freelance day rate that looks impressive on paper can work out to less than a full-time salary once you factor in the weeks you might not be earning. That said, experienced freelancers in high-demand can comfortably out-earn their employed counterparts once they’ve built a solid client base and a great reputation in their industry.
How to choose between freelance and in-house creative roles
If you’re struggling to choose between freelance and in-house roles, it’s best to ask yourself these questions to see how you feel:
How do you feel about financial uncertainty?
Freelancing requires a level of comfort with irregular income, at least in the early stages. If that prospect feels genuinely stressful rather than manageable, a salaried role will suit you better, at least to begin with.
Do you need structure to do your best work?
Some people thrive with autonomy and self-direction. Others are more productive in a team environment with clear expectations and regular feedback. Neither is a character flaw, it’s just useful to know which applies to you before you commit to a working model that doesn’t suit the way you operate.
Where are you in your career?
The creative industries tend to reward experience, and employment is often the faster way to build it at the start. Being part of a team means you’re learning from people around you every day, which is difficult to replicate when you’re working alone. Freelancing tends to be more rewarding once you’ve got a body of work and a network to draw on.
What does your chosen discipline look like in practice?
Some creative roles are almost always freelance by nature, particularly in music, film, and media, where project-based work is the norm. Others, such as in-house design roles or salaried positions at studios and agencies, are typically employed.
Build the skills for either path at Access Creative College
Whether you’re heading into employment or planning to go freelance from day one, the foundation is the same: strong skills, a solid portfolio, and a genuine understanding of how your industry operates.
At Access Creative College, our courses are built around real industry practice, giving you the kind of hands-on experience that makes you employable and the creative confidence to back yourself when you’re working independently. Explore our courses and find the right starting point for where you want to go or you can visit us during an open day to scope out the different courses!
