Social distancing, self isolation and empty shelves in supermarkets. Welcome to the new norm. As freelancers adapt to the changes in their lives, Freelancer Club is doing exactly the same. When I started Freelancer Club more than 5 years ago, we had one simple mission: to support creative freelancers and we remain committed to this mission now more than ever. We've been listening to you, brainstorming ideas and working hard to adapt to the corona crisis. Below is an outline of the changes we've made to Freelancer Club membership. 

Freelancer Club is backing The Creative Industries Federation and IPSE's proposal to Government asking for support in the self-employed sector. To join over 114,000 others, click here to sign the petition and give your reason. 

It’s 2020. A highly infectious coronavirus has rapidly swept across the globe and society is in lockdown for the foreseeable future. The streets are eerily quiet, and all you can hear are the sounds of dogs barking, glass shattering and blood-curdling groans. You anxiously peer out of your bedroom window only to discover that your nightmarish suspicions were true… your next door neighbour Karen has joined the living dead and is staggering around, drenched in decaying blood, sniffing out her next victim...

IR35 has been postponed for 1 year. It's official. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, has announced that IR35 will be deferred until April 2021. This is very welcome news for freelancers who have already been directly and indirectly impacted by IR35.

What is the real impact of COVID-19 on freelancers? Listen to the founder of Freelancer Club, Matt Dowling, discussing the cultural impact #COVID2019 is having on freelancers on BBC News. 

Freelancers have been an afterthought for far too long. The government continually undermines the value of the 5 million self-employed individuals in the UK with harmful policy changes, token gestures and empty promises. A risky strategy when one considers that freelancers make up around 15% of the UK workforce. Amide the current coronavirus crisis, the government have provided support to the self-employed but, in our opinion, not enough so we've decided to take action and we're asking our members to join us.

How to hire a freelance writer... Where to begin? So, you’ve got a piece of content that needs writing for your business, website or charity. Rather than seeking out a writer internally, you’ve decided to embark on a mission to find the perfect freelance content writer for your project. Hiring a writer externally outside of your own employee pool can appear daunting, and the questions and doubts you have may cloud your perceptions of the benefits of using a freelance writer. Where do you even find a freelance content writer? What's the difference between a scientific freelance blogger and technical medical writer? How can you ensure that the experience is both mutually beneficial and efficient, saving your business time and money? Questions... so many questions!

The impact remote work has on my mental health is a complicated and nuanced issue. I currently work as a freelance artist (amongst other services). I use the dining room table to make my art, the garage for printmaking and a shared desk in the home office for my writing. Outside of my home, I occasionally facilitate workshops for a London charity where I work on site as part of a larger team. It’s a balancing act between flying solo, working with others and collaborating digitally.