Hundreds on zero-hours deals

Almost 800 people working for Kent County Council are on zerohours contracts, shock figures reveal.

The largest number of the 777 who have such contracts are working in social care services and account for more than half of the total.

Many of the 475 social care employees are likely to be carers contracted by the authority to provide domiciliary services, helping people live in their own homes. Zero-hours contracts give no guaranteed hours of work and do not always provide the same benefits as permanent staff, such as sickness pay.

Politicians from all parties have committed to either scrap the contracts or compel employers to give the same benefits as other workers.

Cllr Gary Cooke, the cabinet member for democratic services, says KCC has reviewed zero-hours contracts, with many converted where appropriate, adding: “The zero-hours contract is often a second employment, and gives the employee the benefit of control and flexibility.

“This could be required due to other personal commitments such as studying, family responsibilities or partial retirement. It is therefore not totally biased in favour of the employer, but can work well for the employee as well.”

The figures were released under the Freedom of Information Act.