The Employment Rights Act 2025 will introduce new rights to guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts and payment when shifts are cancelled or curtailed at short notice. But critical decisions remain for the Government. (3/3) Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Through interviews and seven-day digital diaries our research highlights four features of life on a zero-hour contract: 1. Work-life chaos 2. Financial insecurity 3. Power imbalance 4. Workers are 'living in limbo' (2/3).

📢 A record 1.24 million people are employed on zero-hour contracts. Our new report, supported by @tuc.org.uk, shows that many workers are trapped in a cycle of unpredictable hours, financial insecurity and one-sided flexibility (1/3). Read➡️ www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat... Video⬇️

🏆️ This month’s #ResearchoftheMonth goes to @resolutionfoundation.org for their report on what policies can incentivise employers to hire more young people. It looks at whether Government policy has made it too expensive to hire young people. Read: www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

Workplace health support is often weakest where workers may need it most. Access to support is shaped by the size of an employer, the nature of a job and who makes up the workforce. The result is health provision often compounds existing inequalities. Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

📖 Where you live can shape whether you find work and what it feels like to be shut out. Young people’s prospects are shaped by the strength of their local economy, the jobs available nearby, transport connections and the support they can access. Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

A weaker labour market is also shifting the balance of power at work. Vacancies are at their lowest since 2021, while 12% of employers have made redundancies because of rising costs and 13% have cut staff hours. (6/7)

Most employers are trying to help. 82% plan some form of financial wellbeing support, including extending benefits packages (27%), offering more flexibility over work and benefits (26%), and providing overtime (24%). (4/7)

Household resilience is stretched as average real regular pay increases have risen by just 0.1% as inflation remains high. ONS data shows 1 in 3 people (34%) say they are struggling to afford energy bills, while 25% would be unable to cover an unexpected £850 cost. (3/7)

Workers face a renewed cost of living squeeze as rising energy bills, stalling wage growth and a weakening labour market leave households exposed. New analysis finds just 22% of employers plan inflation-beating pay rises in 2026. Read (1/7): www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

EVENT: Join us on Tues 14 July at 14.00 to discuss new research into how zero-hour contract workers experience insecurity, flexibility & unpredictability in their working lives, & how different policy choices could shape the future of work for workers: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-limbo-t...

The UK has known for nearly two decades what needs to change on work and health. So why has delivery fallen short? Five takeaways from Dame Carol Black’s conversation at the Work and Health Summit 2026. Read more: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Improving workplace health is one of the UK’s biggest growth opportunities, says Sir Charlie Mayfield. With nearly 2.8m people economically inactive due to ill health, action from employers, Government and health services is vital. Read more here: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Reversing the wave of health-related inactivity is possible, and the study calls on the UK Government to: (7/7) Read the report: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

The biggest gap in support is between different sizes of employers. The largest employers are, on average, over twice as likely to offer support than the smallest firms. While almost all large firms offer some support programme, a quarter of the smallest firms offer none. (6/7)

Critically, support is lowest where health risks are often greatest. Workers on low-income are 13.3 percentage points less likely to benefit from employer health support; while older, younger and female workers also enjoy less support. (5/7)

2.78 million people remain economically inactive due to ill health, nearly 700k higher than before the pandemic. Our survey of 1,001 employers indicates the pressure may be easing, with a third seeing slowing health-related exits. But inactivity remains stubbornly high. (2/7)

New research with the Centre for Organisational Health & Well-being at Lancaster University shows that the Government’s Keep Britain Working agenda is under threat, with 6 in 10 employers still seeing elevated levels of health-related exits from work. (1/7)

🚨 Nearly 2.8 million people are now out of the labour market due to ill health. So how can we deliver healthy work in uncertain times? On 23 June, we're hosting the Work & Health Summit 2026 to explore how we can support more people to stay in and return to work.

Taking account of the findings of the study, and seeking to build on these initial interventions, the study calls on the UK Government to⬇️ (8/8) Read the full report: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat... To find out more, join our briefing at 14.00-14.45 on Zoom: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Young people facing complex barriers to work need joined-up support. But in places like Morecambe and Liverpool, schools, colleges, employment services and employers are struggling to keep pace with growing demand. Stronger local partnerships will be critical. (7/8)

There is just 1 entry-level vacancy for every 3 NEET young people in the UK. In the North East, this falls to 1 vacancy for every 6 young people, and 1 in 5 in East Midlands. Competition is even greater when students, job changers & older workers are included. (4/8)

There are now one million young people aged 16–24 who are not in education, employment or training. Our analysis of Adzuna UK job data shows that 'starter jobs' – roles accessible to those entering the workforce for the first time – have fallen by 49% over the last decade. (2/8)

The UK has entered a youth 'jobs drought'. With Lancaster Uni Management School & Liverpool City Council, we've released analysis exploring how local labour markets in places like Morecambe & Liverpool, employer recruitment practices + young people's experiences are impacting NEET rates. (1/8)

This morning, Lord Wolfson (CEO of Next) warned that there has been a "dramatic fall" in the number of entry-level jobs and said employment law changes could make it more difficult to hire. Our Head of Research, @alicepmartin.bsky.social, commented: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Today, @aman93.bsky.social (Senior Research and Policy Analyst, Work Foundation at Lancaster University) commented on the latest ONS public opinions data that shows that the cost of living is the biggest issue facing people in the UK: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

EVENT: Join us on Wednesday 20 May to discuss what the latest ONS figures on inflation and the labour market statistics mean for workers, employers and the economy in 2026. Sign-up: eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-matte... @ageingbetter.bsky.social @benrharrison.bsky.social

Earlier today, our Director @benrharrison.bsky.social responded to UK Government's priorities announced in the King's Speech 2026. Read in full: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

EVENT: Join us on Wednesday 20 May to discuss what the latest ONS figures on inflation and the labour market statistics mean for workers, employers and the economy in 2026. Sign-up: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-matte...

As the jobs market has hit the headlines recently, we get a common question. "How can it be true that unemployment and employment are rising at the same time?" Can this be right? @aman93.bsky.social has taken a look at the state of the UK labour market: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...