News

The Guardian reports that zero hours contracts are more prevalent than previously thought with 1.4 million UK workers employed in this manner.

Zero hours contracts are becoming increasingly common in the care industries, and the trend is now widespread, as a new Office of National Statistics study shows.

From the Guardian:

The TUC said the figures showed the UK jobs market was far more precarious than the government suggested, and urged ministers to crack down on the "abuse" of zero-hours contracts by employers.

"Insecure work with no guarantee of regular paid hours is no longer confined to the fringes of the jobs market," said Frances O'Grady, the TUC's general secretary.

"It is worrying that so many young people are trapped on zero-hours contracts, which can hold back their careers and make it harder to payoff debts like student loans. The fact that these contracts have become the norm in tourism, catering and food will be a major concern for the millions of people employed in these industries."

A summary of Guardian articles about zero hours contracts can be found here 

And more information about the threat of zero hours contracts and the impact on the social care sector in the UK can be found here