New Report: App-Based Work Reinforces Social Safety Net by Cushioning Income Shocks and Reducing Reliance on Government Assistance

A New Report from Pragmatic Policy Group Analyzes How App-Based Work Provides Accessible and Flexible Earning Opportunities, Saving Taxpayers over $10 Billion Over Next Decade

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Flex Association today released, "Gigs That Give: How App-Based Platforms Strengthen the Labor Market," a new report conducted by Pragmatic Policy Group, an independent economic research agency. The report explores the role of flexible app-based work opportunities in the modern economy as a complement to the social safety net for those in financial need.

"This report confirms what workers have been telling us for years: flexible, app-based work is often a lifeline," said Kristin Sharp, Flex CEO. "When people lose a job, they want to get back to work. App-based platforms have made that easier than ever before, and the data shows it's saving taxpayers billions in the process."

On July 22, the Government Accountability Office released a report claiming that workers using app-based platforms had one of the highest use rates of government assistance among all industries and employers. As the Gigs That Give report shows, the GAO's implication that app-based workers need government assistance because they earn so little is actually backways. In reality, workers choose app-based work as a quick and flexible way to shore up their financial security.

Key findings show that this kind of accessible, on-demand work helps people bridge gaps between jobs, easing reliance on government assistance and making programs like unemployment insurance and SNAP more sustainable over the long term.

The report found that:

• 1-in-3 people using app-based work have been laid off from a traditional full or part-time job and now either fully or partially substitute their previous income with earnings from app-based work.
• After being laid off from a previous job and turning to app-based work, nearly half (47%) of these workers primarily rely on app-based income as opposed to government benefits while they look for other work.
• App-based work will generate an estimated $10.5 to $15.1 billion in fiscal savings over the next decade by reducing reliance on unemployment insurance.

You can read the full report on Flex's website here.

About Flex. Flex is the voice of the app-based economy, representing America's leading app-based rideshare and delivery platforms and the people who count on them. Our member companies — DoorDash, Grubhub, HopSkipDrive, Instacart, Lyft, Shipt and Uber— help provide access to crucial goods and services to customers safely and efficiently, offer flexible earning opportunities to workers and support economic growth in communities across the country.

Media Contact: Maggie Riendeau; [email protected]

SOURCE Flex Association