扒哥吃瓜

• Changes will end one-sided flexibility, help people plan their finances and daily lives, or enjoy benefits of a zero听hours听contract if they wish to keep one.
• This will help save workers in some of the most deprived areas up to 拢600 in lost income from the hidden costs of insecure work.
• Millions of workers who听currently face uncertainty over their weekly hours and earnings听will听benefit听from government听reforms that will听give them certainty and predictability听over their income.

Ministers听have听today听taken the next step听to听ending exploitative zero hours contracts by launching a consultation to help deliver reforms听to benefit听more than听18 million people, some of听whom currently face uncertainty over their weekly hours and earnings.听

Nearly听six in ten of workers听who have variable hours听currently听receive less than a week鈥檚 notice of their shifts, according to the Living Wage Foundation.听That means millions听of听working听people听struggling to plan their lives and budgets.听In the worst cases it means听shifts cancelled the night before or even while people are听already听on their way to work.听听

This will help save workers in some of the most deprived areas up to 拢600 in lost income from the hidden costs of insecure work.听

While those听who听value听the flexibility of a zero hours contract听will听still听be able to choose one,听exploitative arrangements, where employers take all the flexibility and workers bear all the risk, will听be banned.听听

Workers,听who qualify,听will also be entitled to receive reasonable notice of their shifts and a payment if their shifts are cancelled, moved, or curtailed at short notice. This will stop workers travelling into work for shifts or arranging care for children and relatives, only for a shift to be cancelled at the last minute without pay.听

This open consultation, which will close at the end of August, will ask employers and workers about a range of potential hours thresholds听to听help the Government to strike the right balance between protecting workers听from insecure work听and retaining flexibility for businesses听and workers who benefit from it, while building a more resilient economy听and guarding听against unintended consequences from this major change to the Labour market.听

Employers听who already provide this security and听predictability for their workers will听benefit听from a level playing field. These measures will help drive up standards and听eliminate听undercutting.听

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:听

It鈥檚 not right that people can work regular hours but still have no certainty about their pay听from week to week.听These听vital听changes will mean more certainty听for millions of people听and will save the lowest paid workers hundreds of pounds.听

Banning exploitative zero hours contracts听is totemic because this government believes that people should be treated with dignity and respect at work.听听

We鈥檙e consulting because we need to get the detail听right to ensure these reforms work in practice and guard against unintended consequences from this major change to the labour market.

Employment Rights Minister Kate听Dearden said:听听

Ending uncertainty听over hours and pay is one of the听best ways we can boost living standards for millions of听people听and families across the country.听

These reforms听put听workers听in the driving seat, giving听those听who want guaranteed hours the听certainty听they deserve,听whilst听protecting others who prefer the flexibility听a听zero听hours听contract offers.

Businesses can reduce staff turnover, improve skills, and boost productivity by improving job quality and workforce wellbeing by giving workers more security. This in turn can provide a boost to growth in the economy.听

The government wants to hear from workers, employers and other organisations to help shape the final detail of these听reforms and听ensure they work听in practice.听

Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said:听

These reforms aim to end irresponsible use of zero hours contracts, with guaranteed hours for workers to help give them financial stability and security. Some workers may value the flexibility of a zero听hours听contract if they are being used fairly and responsibly and this consultation aims to get this balance right.听

I would encourage employers and workers to respond with evidence on what would work best in practice, alongside any further guidance听that听would be useful.听Acas听currently has free advice for employers on how to use zero hours contracts responsibly, which will be updated once these听new changes听come into effect.鈥澨�

Notes to Editors听

• The consultation听has been published here and will close on听25th August 2026:听听Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility 鈥� reforms of zero hours and similar contracts - 扒哥吃瓜
• Living Wage Foundation data on听variable听hours听workers receiving less than a听week鈥檚听notice听of shifts:
• Right to guaranteed hours听-听Employers will be听required听to offer听qualifying听workers guaranteed hours reflecting the听number of听hours they work over reference period, which will be听further听set听out in regulations. The Government is consulting on the length of the initial reference period with a听Government听preference of 12 weeks.听听Qualifying听workers听will be able to reject an offer of guaranteed hours and听remain on a zero听hours听contract if they wish.
• Right to reasonable notice of shifts听-听Employers will be听required听to provide听eligible听workers with reasonable notice of shifts. If an听employer听schedules听shifts with unreasonable听notice, the worker can bring a tribunal claim. The tribunal will decide whether the worker was given reasonable notice of the shift. The Government will use regulations to state how much notice should be 鈥榩resumed reasonable鈥�. This will be the tribunals鈥� starting point. The Government will also set out the factors the tribunals should look at when听determining听whether the notice was reasonable or not听as part of this consultation.
• Right to payment for shifts cancelled, curtailed, or moved at short听notice -听Employers will be听required听to make payments to听eligible听workers if they cancel, move or curtail a shift at short notice.
• Please find below some scenarios which explain the benefits of the policy and how听it听could听affect the lives of everyday workers. These examples are fictional and purely to assist with understanding the policy:
• Jordan from Middlesbrough is 24 and works as a warehouse operative听on a zero hours contract. Some weeks he gets 35 hours, other weeks he gets none. The new reforms could give Jordan an opportunity to qualify for the right to guaranteed hours 鈥� a right intended to improve stability and certainty in working hours.
• Priya from Leicester is 38 and works in a hotel as a housekeeper. She relies on her zero hours contract as her main source of income, but her employer regularly cancels her shifts with less than 24 hours鈥� notice 鈥� sometimes after听she鈥檚听already arranged childcare for her two children. When that happens, she听doesn鈥檛听get paid, but she still听has to听cover the childcare cost. Under the new reforms, Priya could be entitled to a payment when shifts are听cancelled at short notice, meaning听she鈥檚听not bearing the full cost of the flexibilities her employer wants or needs.
• Amara from Wolverhampton is 32 and works through an agency for a care home while studying part-time for a nursing qualification. She is given very little notice of her shifts, which makes it almost impossible to plan her classes or coursework around her work schedule.听She鈥檚听had to turn down shifts she could have worked 鈥� and miss lectures she wanted to attend 鈥� because of last-minute changes. The new reforms could give Amara reasonable notice of her shifts, helping her manage both her career and her studies without having to choose between them.
• Marcus from Bristol is 58 and works in a local shop on a zero听hours听contract, which suits him perfectly. Having taken early retirement from a full-time teaching role, he enjoys being able to pick up work when it suits him and turn it down when he wants time to travel or spend with his grandchildren.听He鈥檚听now worried that reforms might force him onto a contract with set hours that would take away the flexibility he鈥檚 built his lifestyle around.听In reality, Marcus听will be able to stay on a zero hours contract if he chooses.