What is precarious work?

While there is no legal definition, the term precarious is generally used to refer to a type of work which is poorly paid, unprotected, and insecure.

In practice this captures a range of situations, including where workers' pay barely covers living costs, where employment contracts are missing or hyper-flexible, and where workers lack access to basic employment rights such as paid leave or breaks. At the most extreme end of the spectrum, precarious work includes situations where workers are exploited, including those who may be inadvertently working in the informal economy.

The consequences

Despite the academic debate on the indicators of precarity, the consequences for workers are real. This includes:

In-work poverty. This is particularly acute for people who work in roles which pay National Minimum Wage rates (or below) but live in urban areas where living costs are higher; for those who have caring responsibilities; and for migrant workers who have No Recourse to Public Funds.

Insecure living. Workers who experience low income and flexible contracts also find it harder to meet the requirements of letting agencies. Many have no choice but to sublet in overcrowded accommodation, where their deposits are not protected and threats of eviction are common.

Social isolation. Poor pay rates often compel people to work excessively long hours, just to make up basic living costs. This leaves little time for self-care, family, and socialising, with serious consequences for individual mental health, and wider implications for community relations.

Migrant workers at risk

While precarious work can affect everyone, migrant workers experience significant additional vulnerabilities. At individual level, these include migrants' modest levels of English and IT literacy, a reliance on personal connections, and lack of familiarity with the UK system of employment protections and labour rights enforcement, which can make it difficult to diagnose and report labour abuse. 

Beyond personal circumstances however, migrant workers also face systemic barriers to employment justice. For instance, the UK has a fragmented and under-resourced labour enforcement ecosystem, and almost no public funding for employment legal advice (save for discrimination claims, which are the only employment claim eligible for legal aid). This makes it difficult to report exploitation and obtain redress. This is made even harder for sponsored visa workers, 

What can be done to end precarious work?

We believe that precarious work can be eradicated through an ambitious programme of reform that listens to vulnerable workers - including those who are not traditionally represented by unions and recognised by policymakers.

Reforms that widen employment protections. This includes giving workers the right to guaranteed hours, and income; widening eligibility to Statutory Maternity Pay; increasing Statutory Sick Pay; and widening protection from unfair dismissal.

Reforms that widen access to employment justice. This includes instituting a well-resourced single body for the enforcement of employment rights, in line with ILO recommendations, and ensuring that labour and immigration enforcement remain separate.

Reforms that redress the power imbalance between migrant workers and their employers. This should start by giving migrant workers the practical ability to leave exploitative employers, without losing their immigration status.

Investment in legal advice. In the short term it is imperative that workers have access to in-depth support tailored to their levels of English, digital literacy, and material means. Our employment rights clinics offer precisely this. We recognise the importance of providing free multilingual advice, and value depth over expediency.