More than six million UK workers lack guarantees over their hours, earnings or continued employment, with last-minute scheduling changes leaving some hundreds of pounds a month out of pocket. New research from the Living Wage Foundation estimates that 6.3 million people—nearly one in five UK workers—are in insecure employment.
Lost income and late notice
The research, which included polling more than 2,000 people working variable hours, found that 55 percent had lost money because work was offered too late, cancelled unexpectedly or resulted in wasted costs such as transport and childcare. Those experiencing at least one of these problems lost £230 a month on average, while the 19 percent who faced all three saw average monthly losses of £470.
More than half of people with variable hours—54 percent—said they received less than a week’s notice of when they would be working, while 11 percent were given less than 24 hours. The short notice meant some workers missed out on other opportunities. Forty-one percent said they had been forced to turn down work because they were given too little notice and consequently lost pay.
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Unexpected cancellations were also widespread. Thirty-seven percent of respondents had experienced one during the previous month, with 84 percent receiving less than full pay for the cancelled work and 39 percent receiving less than half. More than a third—36 percent—said they lost money following their most recent unexpected cancellation because of expenses including transport, childcare and food.
Financial strain on workers
The research estimates that 3.4 million people are both in insecure employment and earning below the real Living Wage, the voluntary hourly rate calculated by the foundation according to the cost of living. Financial resilience among people working variable hours was limited. Thirty-four percent had savings equivalent to less than one month’s outgoings, including 22 percent who had no savings. More than a quarter—26 percent—reported debt they found difficult to manage.
Nearly three-quarters of respondents with variable hours, 73 percent, reported making financial sacrifices to make ends meet, including skipping meals, falling behind on bills and credit payments or drawing on savings. Fifty-seven percent said they struggled to meet essential costs including food, housing, transport, bills and childcare because of the number of hours they worked.
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The research also points to differences between groups of workers. Almost one in four Black workers—23 percent—were classified as being in insecure work, compared with 13 percent of white workers. Disabled workers were also more likely to experience insecure employment, at 23 percent compared with 18 percent of non-disabled workers. In agriculture, the proportion was particularly high, with 52 percent of workers classified as insecure.
New employment protections coming in 2027
The research comes ahead of significant changes to employment law designed to give workers on zero-hours and similar contracts greater predictability. The Employment Rights Act 2025 provides for three new protections: a right to guaranteed hours reflecting hours worked during a reference period, reasonable notice of work and changes to it, and payments when agreed work is cancelled, curtailed or moved at short notice.
The government has confirmed that the new rights are due to take effect in 2027, though the timing and important details will be confirmed following consultation. These include how short notice will be defined, how payments should be calculated and which workers will qualify. The consultation on the measures closed on 12 August. The Regulatory Policy Committee subsequently rated the government’s assessments of all three proposed measures as fit for purpose, although detailed regulations are still required before employers know precisely how the regime will operate.
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Foundation director Graham Griffiths said unreliable work and earnings were making it difficult for millions of people to plan their finances and everyday lives. “Millions of workers are stuck in jobs where they don’t know when they’ll be working or if they’ll get the hours and pay they need, trapping them in poverty and making it impossible to plan a life,” he said.
Griffiths said the legislation could address some of the costs currently falling on workers but argued that the eventual strength of the protections will depend on how the outstanding details are settled. “The Employment Rights Act is a step in the right direction in protecting workers who are all too often bearing the costs of these insecure jobs while employers benefit. But there remains a lot of uncertainty around how strong the Act’s provisions will be.”
