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The number of British workers on zero-hours contracts has jumped rapidly - rising to near-record levels in the last three months.

New figures showed unemployment had risen by 31,000 to 1.33 million in the last three months, the highest number since 2017.

And the number of workers in zero-hours contracts increased to 896,000 - up 15% from 791,000 a year ago.

It shows a return to the levels last seen in 2016, when concerns grew over people being exploited by uncertain work.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “It’s no surprise zero-hours contracts are rising when ministers have failed to crack down on unfair employment practices.

(Image: PA)

“The government must ban zero-hours contracts so that all workers can have solid jobs with full workers’ rights.”

And Laura Gardiner, Research Director of the Resolution Foundation, said the significant rise showed that “job quality remains a concern, particularly for young people.”

Average earnings increased by 3.7% compared with 3.4% in the previous month, said the Office for National Statistics.

There were still an extra 115,000 people in work during the period.

Over the last six months the number of vacancies has been falling with fewer now than this time last year.