Londoners lead the UK in entrepreneurial spirit

Almost a fifth of Londoners are considering starting their own business because of the recession, a YouGov survey revealed today.

The poll of 2500 Britons reveals that London's workforce is the most entrepreneurial in the country, with 19% of capital dwellers having started or looking to start a new business in the downturn, compared with only 11% in Scotland and 13% in the North-West.

The research also found that nearly one in five Londoners are considering a career change as a result of the recession. Most respondents said the main reason they wanted to change careers was better pay and only 7% cited better job security as a reason to find a new form of employment.

Julian Acquari, managing director of recruitment website Monster, which commissioned the research, described the findings on London working patterns as surprising.

He said: "In the face of economic uncertainty you might expect to see people stay entrenched in their current jobs and ride out the storm, but our research suggests that Londoners who are currently working are in fact more open to career change."