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Most freelance journalists in the UK say they expect to keep working independently, even though many are unhappy with their pay and how uncertain freelance life can be, according to new research.
The findings come from The State of Freelance Journalism Report 2024, produced by Sheffield Hallam University with Freelancing for Journalists. The report is based on a survey of 401 freelance journalists working across the UK, as well as interviews with commissioning editors from print, digital, audio and broadcast media. It looks at how freelancing is working in practice at a time when staff newsroom jobs continue to disappear.
Flexibility Keeps Freelancers in the Industry
One of the main takeaways is that, despite the problems, many freelancers still want to stay freelance. Almost eight in ten respondents said they plan to continue working this way, and most said they actually enjoy the work. Flexibility came up again and again. For many people, that matters more than money.
“I think the main reason freelance journalists plan to continue freelancing is that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages,” the report’s author, Dr Lily Canter, said. “In a nutshell, yes, everyone would like to be paid more – and you would probably find that in a lot of professions.”
Freelancers said being able to choose what they work on, organise their own time and fit work around family, caring responsibilities or health issues was a big part of why they had not returned to staff jobs.
“But what freelancing gives people is a sense of autonomy: being able to follow the stories they’re interested in, carve out their own niche and work flexibly in terms of the hours and days they work,” Dr Canter said.
Pay, Training and Commissioning Remain Major Challenges
At the same time, the report makes clear that money remains a serious concern. Nearly three quarters of respondents said they were unhappy with their earnings. When all income sources were added together, most said they earned somewhere between £20,000 and £40,000 a year. A noticeable number earned much less than that, with some making under £5,000 from their journalism.
Low rates were one of the most common complaints. Half of freelancers said they had been offered less than 10p a word at some point. Most had seen offers of 20p a word or lower. Many said they had turned down work because the pay was not worth the time involved, although fewer said they regularly negotiate rates when work is offered.
“I would challenge the idea that financial rewards are limited, because you can earn a lot of money as a freelance journalist,” Dr Canter said. “Actually, a lot of freelancers earn more than they would in a staff role. It’s just that journalism as an industry is not particularly well paid in comparison to other professions.”
Another issue raised was how little preparation journalists receive for freelancing. Only a small number said their training covered freelance work properly. Many said they had to figure things out as they went along, including how to pitch ideas, negotiate fees, deal with contracts, and manage tax and invoicing.
“Journalism undergraduate and postgraduate courses should have mandatory modules on freelancing,” Dr Canter said. “Any other organisations that run courses should also include it as part of their mandatory training.”
Editors interviewed for the report described growing pressure on budgets across the industry. Several said freelance rates had barely changed for years, in some cases decades. Editors said freelancers are still essential, especially for specialist knowledge and regional coverage, but money often limits what they can commission.
The report concludes that freelance journalism still works for many people, but only just. It says clearer commissioning processes, more openness about rates, quicker payments and better training around freelancing could help make the sector more stable.
“The industry does need to rethink how it values freelance labour,” Dr Canter added. “It has always treated freelancers poorly in this country.”
The State of Freelance Journalism Report 2024 was written by Dr Lily Canter, senior lecturer in journalism at Sheffield Hallam University.