<p>Zero-hours contracts remain an important part of the UK’s flexible labour market, for both employers where there is not a constant demand for staff and for individuals who may need to balance work around other commitments such as childcare and study.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals on zero hours contracts represent a very small proportion of the workforce – just over 3%. For this small group, a zero-hour contract may be the type of contract which works best for them, providing flexibility to balance work and study with 22% of people on zero-hour contracts are in full-time education compared with 3% of other people in employment.</p><p>The Government is supporting a Private Member’s Bill which will introduce a new right for workers – especially those on zero hours contracts - to request a more predictable working pattern. The new right will allow a qualifying worker to make an application to change their existing working pattern if it lacks predictability in terms of the hours they are required to work, or if it is a fixed term contract of less than 12 months.</p>