The Office of National Statistics has found that 1.8 million
workers were employed by UK companies using zero hours contracts
last summer; with additional data showing that nearly 700,000
employees had zero hours contracts between October-December 2014.
This amounts to 2.3% of the UK workforce.
A zero hours contract is traditionally used for casual working,
it does not guarantee the worker with work and pays a worker only
for the work that they have actually carried out. These types of
contracts are commonly used by employers in the retail and
hospitality industries. Many employers expect workers to be
available for work when or if they are asked to work.
Following consultation which ended in March 2014, the government
has decided to make the use of exclusivity clauses in zero hour
contracts unenforceable through a provision in the Small Business,
Enterprise and Employment Bill. This Bill was published in June
2014 and is expected to be passed before the dissolution
