Number of workers on zero-hours contracts hits record high ahead of crackdown

There has been a 181,000 increase in the number of zero-hours contracts since Labour was elected.

Why This Matters

There has been a 181,000 increase in the number of zero-hours contracts since Labour was elected. The story is categorized under UK Politics with a positive tone (score 0.05).

In Week 9 2026, UK Politics accounted for 123 related article(s), with UK Politics setting the broader headline context. Coverage of UK Politics decreased by 89 article(s) versus the prior week, but remained material in the weekly agenda.

Coverage Snapshot

Week 9 2026 included 123 UK Politics article(s). Leading outlets for this topic included Independent, BBC, BBC Business. Across that cluster, sentiment showed a mostly neutral skew (avg score 0.01).

Key Insights

Primary keywords: number, zero, hours, contracts, crackdown.
Topic focus: UK Politics coverage with positive sentiment.
Source context: reported by BBC Business.
Published: 2026-02-24.
Published by BBC Business, a widely cited major outlet.
Date context: published during Week 9 2026, when UK Politics dominated weekly headlines.

Tone & Sentiment

The article tone is classified as positive, driven by the language and emphasis in the summary. The sentiment score of 0.05 indicates the strength of that tone.

Context

This piece fits within the broader UK Politics narrative, connecting current events to ongoing developments. Readers tracking UK Politics trends can use this article as a concise signal of what is shaping coverage right now.

Related Topics

UK Politics

Key Takeaway

In short, this article underscores key movement in UK Politics and explains why it matters now.

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BBC Business Number of workers on zero-hours contracts hits record high ahead of crackdown