FOI request (FOIR-485085848)

I write to request information about your use of zero hours contracts in the tax year 2022/2023 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

We are aware that we sent you a request for the data on zero hours contract in 2020/2021. We are now interested to know whether this data has changed. 

For clarification:

• By zero hours contract, I refer to the definition provided by section 27A of the Employment Rights Act 1996: "a contract for employment or other worker's contract under which 

- the undertaking to or perform work or services is an undertaking to do so conditionally on the employer making work available or services available to the worker, and

- there is no certainty that any such work or services will be made available to the worker."

• By minimum hours contract, I mean a contract where the employer guarantees a small number of hours work, say 1 to 10 hours a week, which can be topped up by more hours if available.

1. What other terminology to do you use for contracts or arrangements meeting the above legal definition of zero hours contract? 

2. How many workers/employees do you currently directly employ on zero hours contracts? What is the breakdown of these figures according to:

(a) sex: Male, Female, Other, Prefer not to say

(b) age: 16-17, 18-20, 21-22, 23-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+

(c) race:

White - English/Welsh/Scottish/Northern Irish/British Irish

White - Gypsy or Irish Traveller

White - any other background

Asian or Asian British - Indian

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani

Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi

Asian or Asian British - Chinese

Asian or Asian British - Any other background

Black or Black British - Caribbean

Black or Black British - African

Black or Black British - Any other background

Mixed - White and Black Caribbean

Mixed - White and Black African

Mixed - White and Asian

Mixed - Any other mixed background

Other ethnic group

Prefer not to say

3. What is the minimum, maximum and average number of hours per week carried out by zero hours staff?

4. Do you have a policy to offer zero hours shifts with notice, pay for zero hours shifts cancelled at short notice and to offer a fixed hours contracts to zero hours staff based on actual hours worked?

5. How many workers/employees do you currently indirectly employ on zero hours contracts via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors?  If this data is not available, please provide the names of the agencies, contractors or sub-contractors that you use to employ workers indirectly.

6. How many workers/employees do you currently directly employ on minimum hours contracts or via agencies, contractors or sub-contractors?

7. How many workers/employees in total do you currently employ? What is the breakdown of these figure according to same breakdown as Question 2? - please note this question concerns your entire workforce, not just zero hours staff.