The public debate about atypical forms of work (such as the gig economy, zero-hours working and agency work) in recent years has created the perception that the UK’s labour market is becoming less secure. This report examines a range of evidence proving that the so-called ‘casualisation’ of work in the UK has been overstated:

Atypical working in the UK remains exactly that - atypical. The proportion of people working atypically in the UK labour market has been stable for the past 20 years.

The UK has a low share of non-permanent employment compared to other major economies - permanent employment remains the norm for most people and jobs are just as stable as they were 20 years ago.

Most of the UK’s workers feel secure, with most people entering non-permanent work out of choice rather than necessity. Protections for temporary workers have increased.

Nevertheless, the report highlights that there are still millions of employees in the UK, many of them in permanent positions, who report some degree of insecurity: fear of not getting another job as least as good, cuts in wages, or being discriminated against in the workplace.

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