Band 8 model answer

The expansion of the gig economy means a growing number of people now work for digital platforms rather than a single, fixed employer. In my view, despite the flexibility it offers, the disadvantages of this model outweigh its advantages.

There are real attractions to gig work. Drivers, couriers, and freelancers can choose their own hours, deciding when and how much to work around studies or family commitments. The low barrier to entry allows almost anyone with a car or a laptop to start earning quickly, and for some the variety and independence are genuinely preferable to the routine of a conventional job.

The drawbacks, however, are serious and structural. Because gig workers are classified as self-employed rather than employees, they are typically denied basic protections such as a guaranteed minimum wage, paid holiday, sick pay, and a pension. Their income is unpredictable, fluctuating with demand and with platform algorithms over which they have no control, and they must shoulder costs, fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance, that an employer would normally cover. This insecurity makes it almost impossible to plan for the future or to weather a sudden illness, leaving many one bad week away from real hardship.

While flexibility is valuable, it is enjoyed on good terms by a relative few, whereas the absence of a safety net affects the many who depend on this work simply to survive. A model that shifts so much risk onto the individual is hard to defend.

In conclusion, although the gig economy offers welcome flexibility and easy access to work, the loss of job security and basic rights it entails is, in my view, the weightier concern, so its disadvantages outweigh its advantages.