Lockdown has sparked a revival of the traditional family business as an increasing number of owners employ relatives, according to a study.
Research among 500 small business owners found that nearly a quarter had recently taken on a family member. Of those, 46% had hired their partner, 55 per cent recruited a sibling and one in 10 had even sought help from their in-laws.
Almost half employed relatives during lockdown because they needed extra help, while 34% felt their loved ones had the skills they were looking for.
Other reasons included their family member wanting to gain work experience or because they were struggling to find work after finishing education during the pandemic.