"The context for zero-hours working is a long-term trend towards more flexible and diverse forms of work capable of meeting the needs of employers and individuals."

The debate has centred around two main issues:

• What are the rights and wrongs of zero-hours working? Are they a way of employers reducing their labour costs and retaining maximum flexibility in a time of economic uncertainty at the expense of job and financial security on the part of the individual?

• Or do they provide flexibility that works for both the employer and the individual, enabling organisations to respond to peaks and troughs in demand and people to manage caring responsibilities, study, improve their work–life balance or to downshift from fulltime work as they move more flexibly into retirement?

• How many people are really engaged on zero-hours contracts in the UK and to what extent are their numbers increasing?

The report includes recommendations for employers, government and policy makers and also sets out the CIPD case for good practice. Download the report below.