The Telegraph reports that new figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that the number of “underemployed” – ie people in part-time work through necessity rather than choice – surged by 89,000 between December and January, to reach 1.4 million. But this masks a much greater number of people, 5.1 million, who are in part-time work by preference.

It is, of course, a luxury not everyone can afford. At a time when many businesses are struggling, and all hands are needed at the proverbial pumps, the introduction of part-time working arrangements could be regarded as a distraction. For a swathe of the squeezed middle class moreover, a drop in income would be cataclysmic. And yet, the part-time boom continues unabated.

There has been an exponential increase in the demand for 'non 9-5’ working in the UK, and it’s not just mothers who are fuelling demand, far from it,” says Karen Mattison, founder of Women Like Us, a £1.7 million social business set up in 2004 that finds jobs for mothers who want to return to work part-time.

“We have seen a new demographic registering with us – 30 per cent of the 33,000 candidates on our books aren’t mothers. They are dads, high-earners who can live on four fifths of their salary, carers of elderly parents – there are lots of reasons why people want to work differently.”

The view of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development is that the part-time sector will expand. During the ongoing downturn, some companies have looked to cut back hours rather than make redundancies, which has made them think creatively. “Most of those who work part-time are female, but as more men are taking on caring responsibilities, there does need to be a culture of greater flexibility,” says Ben Willmott, head of public policy. “We also have an ageing workforce and employees may want to reduce their hours gradually, rather than stopping overnight.”

Click here to read the full article from The Telegraph.