The number of people on zero-hours contracts in the UK has risen to a record high, despite plans to crackdown on their use, according to a report shared exclusively with ITV News.
There are currently 1.24 million people employed on zero-hours arrangements, up by 207,000 since Labour took power in July 2024 with a pledge to ban "exploitative" contracts.
Under a zero-hours contract, workers have no guarantee of any shifts and are only called upon when they’re needed – often with very little notice – meaning many have no idea how much they will earn from month to month.
Shifts can be cancelled at the last minute and workers are not entitled to any compensation, despite often already paying for transport and childcare.
Labour had initially pledged – before their 2024 manifesto – to protect workers by banning zero-hours contracts entirely, before watering this down to only outlaw "exploitative" zero-hours contracts.
Businesses, and some workers, say zero-hours contracts are beneficial because they allow flexibility, and the hospitality industry has warned that a crackdown could devastate the sector.
However, research carried out by the Lancaster University’s Work Foundation, on behalf of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), found a record number of zero-hours contract workers depend on their contract for full-time work (32.8%).
The research found 77% are not in full-time education, suggesting a large proportion of workers don’t need that flexibility.
——————–
• Subscribe to ITV News on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2lOHmNj
• Get breaking news and more stories at http://www.itv.com/news
Follow ITV News on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@itvnews?lang=en
Follow ITV News on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itvnews/
Follow ITV News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itvnews/
Follow ITV News on X: https://twitter.com/itvnews
