The UK is the top country in Europe when it comes to hiring freelance workers to work online, according to a report by online work platform Elance.

Elance’s European Online Employment Report shows a 55% increase in the hiring of web freelancers by UK businesses on the Elance site since Q3 2010. 

Germany ranks number two in the table, followed by Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The UK was the third biggest hiring country worldwide in Q3.

Fabio Rosati, chief executive officer Elance says: “The UK is at the forefront of the online worker trend in Europe. Across the country, businesses are embracing the flexibility that a freelance workforce offers and contractors are snapping up opportunities to work online at a time when traditional employment routes are flat-lining.

“This global trend frees businesses up to recruit the best people for the job in a quick and efficient way. Across our platform, companies are using freelancers to change the way they work and succeed like never before.”

Within the UK London businesses hire the most Elance contractors, but Birmingham (89%), Reading (59%) and Edinburgh (40%) are all seeing impressive growth. When compared to European capitals, London is also top, followed by Stockholm, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

Other European countries have also seen an increase in the hiring of freelancers on the web, with the highest growth coming in from Italy (+87%), Norway (+69%) and France (+64%). Overall European businesses registered a 53% increase in spend.”

The skills most in demand are PHP programmers, followed by WordPress programmers.