£3bn dilemma | Think tank proposes guaranteed 30 hour work week amid zero-hour contract reforms

Workers without fixed hours who regularly work between 20 and 30 hours a week face a significantly greater risk of falling behind on their bills, according to new research.

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has urged ministers to ensure that workers regularly putting in up to 30 hours a week are covered by planned protections against exploitative zero-hours contracts.

Its analysis found that people working between 20 and 30 hours without fixed schedules were 73% more likely to be behind on bills than comparable employees on fixed-hours contracts.

The intervention follows the publication of the Government’s own analysis, which found that its proposals to restrict zero-hours contracts could cost businesses up to £3billion annually.