Flexible working roles, such as those occupied by IT contractors, can play a vital role in helping private businesses get moving again after the recession.

This is the view of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), which claims that 85 per cent of companies are looking to increase numbers of agency staff.

Overall, the latest employment figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the job market is stagnating.

Data covering the three months to August shows that unemployment numbers fell by just 20,000 in this period.

However, the REC director of research Roger Tweedy said this is a sign that firms are still cautious about hiring permanent workers, but temporary workers could help them to grow their business.

"This demonstrates the important role of flexible working models as a vital resourcing option for UK businesses as well as a way back into the labour market for job-seekers," he said.