TUC urges Government to deliver guaranteed hours reforms in full

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called on the Government to fully implement new guaranteed hours contract rights as ministers consult on how the reforms will operate in practice.

The consultation forms part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay and the implementation of the Employment Rights Act, which includes proposals to give workers the right to contracts that reflect their regular working hours, alongside notice of shifts and compensation for cancelled work.

The Government is currently seeking views on issues including the maximum number of hours a worker can have before losing entitlement to guaranteed hours, as well as rules around shift notice and compensation.

The TUC said the reforms must be designed to protect workers from insecure employment and warned against scaling back the measures.

The union body argued that limiting eligibility could encourage employers to keep workers on low-hour contracts to avoid triggering rights to more secure working arrangements.

It also warned that workers on insecure contracts can struggle to plan finances, organise childcare and challenge poor workplace behaviour because of concerns about future shift allocations.

The TUC highlighted polling suggesting public support for the reforms remains strong.

According to its research, 72% of UK voters support guaranteed hours contracts, while 15% oppose them.