The government has launched a consultation on reforms relating to zero-hours and similar contracts, to implement measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025 to end one-sided flexibility.
The reforms aim to reduce the insecurity of hours and income that some workers face. The government wishes to ensure that workers on zero-hours and similar contracts are protected while enabling businesses to continue to adapt to market conditions and seasonal variations.
Workers will have the right to guaranteed hours, where the number of hours offered reflects the hours worked by a qualifying worker during a reference period. The government’s preference is for the initial reference period to be 12 weeks long. The right will apply to workers on zero-hours contracts or whose contracts guarantee them up to a maximum number of hours, which the government proposes to set at between eight and 20 hours.
Workers will also have the right to reasonable notice of shifts, and to payment for shifts cancelled, curtailed or moved at short notice. As with the right to guaranteed hours, the government proposes that these rights should not apply to workers whose contracts guarantee them more than a certain number of hours.
The consultation seeks input on details of the new rights. The government will then develop final policy positions to deliver the measures, and lay regulations in Parliament which will make those policy positions law.
The consultation closes on 25 August 2026.