Opened the debate
The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay is bringing employment rights legislation into the 21st century, extending the protections many British companies already offer their workers to all. Yesterday the government updated parliament on the further progress we have made on implementing the Employment Rights Act 2025, publishing responses to consultations on Bereavement Leave, Flexible Working, and the Employer Duty to Inform Workers of their Right to Join a Trade Union. The government also published consultations on Whistleblowing and Tipping. Today, the UK Government is publishing our consultation on employment status and protections for the self-employed. As part of the Plan to Make Work Pay, the Government is committed to ensuring that working people can access the rights and protections to which they are entitled, while supporting a fair, flexible and dynamic labour market. However, the current employment status framework can be difficult to navigate, requiring individuals and businesses to understand complex legislation and case law. This uncertainty can give rise to bogus self-employment, with evidence suggesting that up to 900,000 people may be denied access to core workplace protections despite working in highly controlled working arrangements, while allowing some businesses to gain an unfair competitive advantage by failing to meet their legal obligations. The government believes that the current framework is not fit for purpose and there is a strong case for reform. As working practices and business models evolve, the framework must adapt to support our ambition to improve job security, raise living standards and tackle exploitative working practices.