11 May 2018

New analysis from the TUC has found that one in nine workers in the UK is now employed in an insecure job, such as on a zero-hour contract, through an agency, or in low-paid self-employment.

The total number of people currently in this position has risen to 3.8 million, accounting for 11.9% of the workforce.

"Bosses are falsely labelling staff as self-employed, outsourcing work to agencies or using zero-hours contracts to drive down costs and dodge their employment and tax responsibilities," the TUC reported.

"Agency and zero-hours staff can he hired and fired at will and have no right to return to their job after having a baby. And ‘gig economy’ workers forced into bogus ‘self-employment’ by their boss are not guaranteed the national minimum wage, paid holidays or sick pay," it warned.