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Working Hours

Asked by Michael WheelerLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 12 June 2026UIN 7813

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's consultation document entitled Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility – reforms of zero hours and similar contracts, published on 2 June 2026, whether his Department has assessed the likelihood of employers restructuring contracts in order to remain below any hours threshold adopted under the proposal.

Answered by Kate Dearden

The government has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts from the zero hours contract measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025 and will publish further analysis in due course as we implement these measures.

Our consultation on zero hours and similar contracts, published on 2 June 2026, seeks to gather further insight on potential changes in employers’ behaviour in light of the measures.

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