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ARTICLE · 18 JUNE 2026

Consultation Launched On Zero-hours Contracts

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The UK Government has launched a consultation on proposed reforms to zero-hours and low-hours contracts, introducing new rights for workers including guaranteed hours based on actual work patterns, reasonable notice of shifts...

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Christina Morton
Christina Morton
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The government has issued a consultation paper on ending one-sided flexibility for zero-hours and low-hours workers. 

The consultation paper sets out more detail of how potential new rights will operate if the relevant parts of the Employment Rights Act 2025 are brought into force. The government has indicated that this will be in 2027, but some commentators have expressed doubts about this, given the complexity of the proposals.

The consultation covers:

  • The right to be offered guaranteed hours reflecting the hours worked during a reference period.
  • The right to reasonable notice of shifts.
  • The right to payment for shifts cancelled, curtailed or moved at short notice.

Workers will qualify for the guaranteed hours right if they are on a zero-hours contract or a contract with guaranteed hours below an 'hours threshold' to be set in regulations. The government seeks views on what this threshold should be, with its preferred option being between 8 and 20 hours per week.

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