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- subject_t:"Working hours" OR subject_t:"Compressed hours" OR subject_t:"Flexible rostering" OR subject_t:"Four day week" OR subject_t:"Hours of work" OR subject_t:"Shift work" OR subject_t:"Shorter working week" OR subject_ses:93514
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This paper provides the latest statistics and analysis of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and earnings in the UK.
This paper provides the latest statistics and analysis of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and earnings in the UK.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the introduction of a right to guaranteed hours could reduce access to flexible employment opportunities for young people who are not in education, employment or training.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the introduction of a right to guaranteed hours could reduce access to flexible employment opportunities for young people who are not in education, employment or training.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of artificial intelligence-driven automation for working hours in sectors affected by significant technological change.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications of artificial intelligence-driven automation for working hours in sectors affected by significant technological change.
The Government recognises that AI is transforming workplaces, demanding new skills and augmenting existing roles. We have launched the AI and the Future of Work Unit — a cross-government function dedicated to ensuring AI delivers positive outcomes for the economy, jobs, and workers.
The Unit published an initial assessment of AI impacts on the labour markets in January 2026. This highlighted IMF estimates that around 70% of UK workers are in occupations containing tasks that AI could potentially perform or enhance. Around half of these exposed workers are in 'high complementarity' roles, where AI may be more likely to boost efficiency and productivity, while the other half are in 'low complementarity' roles where AI may be more likely to perform tasks currently delivered by human labour.
To further increase the Government's capability to assess these impacts — including the sectoral effects of AI — we have announced a new AI Economics Institute, which will absorb the Future of Work Unit and broaden and deepen our research and analytical capability on AI's economic impacts and policy implications. Leading AI labs have agreed to collaborate with the Institute so that we have the data needed to underpin this analysis, and the Institute will publish selected research where this supports open debate.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how the Government plans to help ensure that guaranteed-hours offers calculated by reference to hours worked during a seasonal peak do not require employers to provide the same hours during periods of lower seasonal demand.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how the Government plans to help ensure that guaranteed-hours offers calculated by reference to hours worked during a seasonal peak do not require employers to provide the same hours during periods of lower seasonal demand.
The government is currently consulting on the regulations of the zero hours measures and will carefully consider the responses received before finalising the policy detail. Employers will still to be able to manage seasonal demand in a number of ways, including through fixed-term contracts where reasonable.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of taking account of recurring seasonal fluctuations in demand in the tourism and hospitality sectors when developing regulations on guaranteed hours.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of taking account of recurring seasonal fluctuations in demand in the tourism and hospitality sectors when developing regulations on guaranteed hours.
The government is engaging with multiple stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sectors during the consultation period and will carefully consider views on seasonal fluctuations in demand when developing the regulations.
Employers will continue to be able to manage fluctuating demand in a number of ways, including through fixed-term contracts where reasonable.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Department will publish an assessment of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 on (a) seasonal recruitment and (b) employment opportunities for people under 25 in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Department will publish an assessment of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 on (a) seasonal recruitment and (b) employment opportunities for people under 25 in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The government has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the zero hours contract measures in the Employment Rights Act 2025. This includes consideration of impacts on young, entry-level workers and sectors where variable demand is common.
The Government is now consulting on the detailed regulations for the right to guaranteed hours, including issues relevant to seasonal recruitment such as reference periods and temporary need. We are engaging with employers, workers and representative bodies, before determining a way forward for regulations.
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work...
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work...
470 full-time employees are recorded as working compressed hours, representing 12.0% of all full-time employees. However, the department cannot determine from Oracle how many of these employees work their hours over four days rather than another compressed-hours arrangement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work compressed hours over a four day week.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work compressed hours over a four day week.
The Department is required by law to consider flexible working requests. Compressed hours is a form of flexible working which refers to any type of working arrangement that gives some degree of flexibility around how long, where or when an individual works.
Compressed hours working arrangements can be requested either informally, where the proposed arrangement is ad-hoc and if implemented, would have no impact on an employee's pay or other terms and conditions, or as a formal request.
Requests are agreed between the line manager and employee, subject to business need and predominantly managed locally, so we do not hold a central record of all the arrangements that exist.
As a result, there would be disproportionate cost involved in collating information on all informal and formal compressed hours arrangements as the information would need to be collated in each business area from each line manager.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether civil servants are allowed to use paid working hours to participate in staff networks.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether civil servants are allowed to use paid working hours to participate in staff networks.
Most participation in Ministry of Justice Staff Network activity is expected to take place within employees’ own time.
Some volunteers undertaking agreed staff network leadership roles or to carry out agreed activity requested by the Department may have an agreed time allocation to support delivery.
This must be agreed in advance with the individual’s line manager and the planned activity must align to our objectives and deliver benefits to the Department. Such arrangements are subject to departmental policy, managerial agreement and operational requirements.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps in response to breaches of the Working Time Regulations 1998 by employers, with specific reference to the live events and media production industry.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps in response to breaches of the Working Time Regulations 1998 by employers, with specific reference to the live events and media production industry.
The Working Time Regulations 1998 set out rights for workers and employer obligations on working time, including maximum weekly working time, limits on night work, rest periods and paid annual leave. They apply across sectors, including the live events and media production industry.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has overall policy responsibility for the Working Time Regulations. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces certain working time requirements, including maximum weekly working time; night work limits; health assessments for night workers; work patterns; compensatory rest in specified circumstances; and record keeping.
Other entitlements, including time off, rest break entitlements and paid annual leave, are not enforced by HSE and are matters for Employment Tribunals.
Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing relevant working time requirements in premises where they are the enforcing authority as set out in the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations 1998.
Where a Local Authority is the enforcing authority, relevant working time concerns should be reported to that authority. Where HSE is the enforcing authority, concerns can be reported through HSE’s website: Tell us about a health and safety issue - Contact HSE.
HSE assesses all concerns relating to potential breaches of working time requirements in premises where it has enforcement authority. HSE will take enforcement action where appropriate in accordance with its Enforcement Management Model (HSE - The Enforcement Management Model), which supports consistent, proportionate decisions on whether enforcement action is appropriate and what form it should take.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to his Department's publication entitled Employment Rights Act 2025: economic analysis and enactment summary impact assessment, published 7 January 2026, for what policy reason the hours...
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to his Department's publication entitled Employment Rights Act 2025: economic analysis and enactment summary impact assessment, published 7 January 2026, for what policy reason the hours...
The government’s preference is for the hours threshold for the right to guaranteed hours to be between 8 and 20 hours per week, on the basis that options in this range are more likely to provide a favourable balance of costs and benefits. A baseline of 8 hours per week mitigates against potential avoidance behaviour of employers moving zero hours workers to contracts with a very low number of hours.
The consultation includes evidence from the Living Wage Foundation which shows that the percentage of workers working above contracted hours decreases with the number of contracted hours, with only around 19% of those with between 16-24 hours guaranteed working more hours than contracted.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, for what policy reason the hours threshold for the right...
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, for what policy reason the hours threshold for the right...
The government’s preference is for the hours threshold for the right to guaranteed hours to be between 8 and 20 hours per week, on the basis that options in this range are more likely to provide a favourable balance of costs and benefits. A baseline of 8 hours per week mitigates against potential avoidance behaviour of employers moving zero hours workers to contracts with a very low number of hours.
The consultation includes evidence from the Living Wage Foundation which shows that the percentage of workers working above contracted hours decreases with the number of contracted hours, with only around 19% of those with between 16-24 hours guaranteed working more hours than contracted.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay in her Department work compressed hours over a four day week.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay in her Department work compressed hours over a four day week.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197 and with reference to page 19, paragraph 62 of his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, if he will publish the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197 and with reference to page 19, paragraph 62 of his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, if he will publish the...
The government has published the 2024 guaranteed hours impact assessment, including the results of the sensitivity analysis referred to in paragraph 62. The impact assessment made clear that many policy details, including eligibility and the process for making offers, would be set in secondary legislation following consultation. To account for this uncertainty, the impact assessment undertook sensitivity analysis in line with the Green Book, varying key assumptions around the potential population in scope and the time employers would take to familiarise with and implement the obligations associated with the right, as well as track hours and formalise guaranteed hours offers.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to page 19, paragraph 62 of his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, what the key assumptions in...
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2026 to Question 9197, and with reference to page 19, paragraph 62 of his Department's impact assessment entitled ZHCs - Right to Guaranteed Hours, published 21 October 2024, what the key assumptions in...
The 2024 guaranteed hours impact assessment clarifies that many policy details, including eligibility and the process for making offers, would be set in secondary legislation following consultation. To account for this uncertainty, the impact assessment undertook sensitivity analysis in line with the Green Book, varying key assumptions around the potential population in scope and the time employers would take to familiarise with and, implement the obligations associated with the right, as well as track hours and formalise guaranteed hours offers. These assumptions are included within the impact assessment.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay work compressed hours over a four...
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay work compressed hours over a four...
As of 1 July 2026, 46 full-time civil servants at the Department work compressed hours over a four-day week. This represents 4.0% of the Department’s 1,158 civil servants. Figures do not include staff currently on a career break.
DCMS remains committed to flexible working and the business benefits it offers, including supporting the Civil Service’s priority of ensuring the continued, effective, and productive delivery of services.
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, and I declare an interest as vice-president of Carers UK.
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper, and I declare an interest as vice-president of Carers UK.
My Lords, I pay tribute to the millions of unpaid carers across the UK whose compassion, sacrifice and dedication support loved ones every day and make an immeasurable contribution to our society and economy. The Government recognise the immense contribution made by unpaid carers and the pressures highlighted in the Carers UK report. We take its findings seriously. Supporting carers to remain in work is good for individuals, employers and the wider economy. That is why we have launched a public consultation reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers, including where further workplace support is needed, while ensuring that any future changes remain fair, proportionate and workable for employers.
My Lords, I pay tribute to the millions of unpaid carers across the UK whose compassion, sacrifice and dedication support loved ones every day and make an immeasurable contribution to our society and economy. The Government recognise the immense contribution made by unpaid carers and the pressures highlighted in the Carers UK report. We take its findings seriously. Supporting carers to remain in work is good for individuals, employers and the wider economy. That is why we have launched a public consultation reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers, including where further workplace support is needed, while ensuring that any future changes remain fair, proportionate and workable for employers.
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the Carers UK report The ‘tipping point’: when unpaid carers can no longer combine caring with paid employment, published on 12 May, that 47% of carers are considering reducing their working hours or leaving paid employment because of the pressures they face; and what steps they intend to take as a result.
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. The public consultation that has been launched is very welcome. As my noble friend knows, carers want to combine paid work with caring if they can because it provides income, independence and social interaction. There is never a problem making the moral case for carers—everyone knows they are unsung heroes and heroines—but does my noble friend agree that there is a strong economic case, too? The DWP estimates that carers leaving work results in about £37 billion a year in lost productivity and increased welfare expenditure, so there are economic benefits to
supporting them in any way possible, such as paid carer’s leave—as I have said, the consultation is most welcome—access to reliable social care and better support from both employers and healthcare services.
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. The public consultation that has been launched is very welcome. As my noble friend knows, carers want to combine paid work with caring if they can because it provides income, independence and social interaction. There is never a problem making the moral case for carers—everyone knows they are unsung heroes and heroines—but does my noble friend agree that there is a strong economic case, too? The DWP estimates that carers leaving work results in about £37 billion a year in lost productivity and increased welfare expenditure, so there are economic benefits to
supporting them in any way possible, such as paid carer’s leave—as I have said, the consultation is most welcome—access to reliable social care and better support from both employers and healthcare services.
My Lords, I totally agree with my noble friend that supporting unpaid carers is both a moral and economic imperative. When experienced people are forced to leave work, we lose their skills, productivity and contribution to our economy. That is why we are reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers, including paid leave and wider workplace support. But this goes beyond employment rights. We must also consider how healthcare, social care and employers can better support carers to remain in work.
My Lords, I totally agree with my noble friend that supporting unpaid carers is both a moral and economic imperative. When experienced people are forced to leave work, we lose their skills, productivity and contribution to our economy. That is why we are reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers, including paid leave and wider workplace support. But this goes beyond employment rights. We must also consider how healthcare, social care and employers can better support carers to remain in work.
My Lords, I totally agree with my noble friend that supporting unpaid carers is both a moral and economic imperative. When experienced people are forced to leave work, we lose their skills, productivity and contribution to our economy. That is why we are reviewing employment rights for unpaid carers, including paid leave and wider workplace support. But this goes beyond employment rights. We must also consider how healthcare, social care and employers can better support carers to remain in work.
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. The public consultation that has been launched is very welcome. As my noble friend knows, carers want to combine paid work with caring if they can because it provides income, independence and social interaction. There is never a problem making the moral case for carers—everyone knows they are unsung heroes and heroines—but does my noble friend agree that there is a strong economic case, too? The DWP estimates that carers leaving work results in about £37 billion a year in lost productivity and increased welfare expenditure, so there are economic benefits to
supporting them in any way possible, such as paid carer’s leave—as I have said, the consultation is most welcome—access to reliable social care and better support from both employers and healthcare services.