The UK Government’s Make Work Pay consultations mark another significant step towards implementing the Employment Rights Bill, one of the most substantial reforms to UK employment law in recent years. While the consultations remain open until 29 August 2026, employers shouldn’t see this as a reason to wait. Instead, they should view it as an opportunity to prepare.

Although the final regulations have not yet been published, the direction of travel is already becoming clear. Proposed changes to zero-hours contracts, agency worker protections and carers’ rights are likely to require many businesses to review contracts, workforce planning and HR policies.

Organisations that start preparing now will be in a much stronger position to adapt when the legislation comes into force, reducing disruption and avoiding last-minute compliance challenges.

In this guide, we’ll look at what the Make Work Pay consultations cover, how the proposed reforms could affect your business and the practical steps employers can take today to prepare for the changes ahead.

 

What Are the Make Work Pay Consultations?

The Make Work Pay consultations are the latest phase of the Government’s Employment Rights Bill. Running until 29 August 2026, they invite feedback from employers, employees, trade unions and other stakeholders on how the proposed reforms should work in practice.

While consultations do not create new laws, they provide valuable insight into the Government’s intentions before the final regulations are introduced.

For employers, this offers something equally valuable: time.

Rather than waiting until the legislation is finalised, businesses can begin reviewing contracts, policies and workforce arrangements now, making implementation far smoother when the new rules take effect.

The current consultations focus on several key areas, including:

• Guaranteed hours for eligible zero-hours and low-hours workers.
• Reasonable notice of shifts.
• Compensation where shifts are cancelled, shortened or significantly changed.
• New protections for agency workers.
• Collective redundancy processes.
• Stronger workplace support for employees with caring responsibilities.

While some details may change following consultation, employers should assume that greater protection for workers and increased employer responsibilities are on the horizon.

 

Why Employers Shouldn’t Wait

One of the biggest mistakes businesses can make is assuming nothing needs to change until the legislation becomes law.

In reality, reviewing your workforce now gives you time to identify potential issues before they become compliance problems.

Waiting until the final regulations are published could leave employers trying to:

• Update contracts.
• Retrain managers.
• Adjust workforce planning.
• Reconfigure scheduling systems.
• Review HR policies.
• Communicate changes to employees.

—all within a relatively short timeframe.

Early preparation spreads the workload and allows businesses to make considered decisions rather than rushing to comply.

 

Zero-Hours Contracts: Flexibility Will Still Exist, But With Greater Responsibility

Contrary to some headlines, the Government is not proposing to ban zero-hours contracts.

Instead, the reforms aim to provide workers who regularly work predictable hours with greater certainty while allowing employers to retain genuine flexibility where it is appropriate.

For employers, the key question becomes:

Are your zero-hours workers genuinely working flexibly, or have they effectively become regular employees?

Imagine this scenario

A hospitality business employs a worker on a zero-hours contract.

Although their contract states that no minimum hours are guaranteed, they have worked around 30 hours every week for the past eight months.

Under the proposed reforms, that employee may become entitled to guaranteed hours based on their established working pattern.

Situations like this are exactly why employers should begin reviewing working patterns now.

 

The Proposed Changes to Zero-Hours Contracts

The consultation includes proposals covering:

• Guaranteed hours for eligible workers.
• More predictable working patterns.
• Reasonable notice before shifts.
• Compensation for cancelled or significantly changed shifts.
• Similar protections for qualifying agency workers.

While the final details are still being developed, employers that rely heavily on casual labour, seasonal staff or flexible scheduling should begin assessing how these proposals could affect their workforce.

 

Questions Every Employer Should Ask

Rather than reviewing every contract individually, start by identifying areas of greatest risk.

Ask yourself:

• Which employees regularly work consistent hours despite being on zero-hours contracts?
• Are casual workers regularly covering permanent staffing needs?
• How often are shifts cancelled or changed at short notice?
• Are managers scheduling staff consistently across different departments?
• Do we have accurate records of hours worked?

These questions can quickly highlight where future changes may have the greatest impact.

 

Agency Workers May Also Be Affected

Many employers focus only on employees, but the proposed reforms also include new protections for agency workers.

If your business regularly uses temporary staff through employment agencies, you should consider:

• How frequently agency workers are used.
• Whether agency workers follow regular working patterns.
• How shifts are allocated.
• Who is responsible for communicating schedule changes.
• Whether your agreements with recruitment agencies may need updating.

Businesses that rely heavily on agency workers should include them in any workforce review rather than focusing solely on directly employed staff.

 

Carers’ Rights: More Than a Policy Update

The consultations also explore ways to strengthen support for employees with unpaid caring responsibilities.

Many employers already recognise the importance of supporting carers, but these proposals suggest that expectations around workplace support may continue to increase.

For employers, this is an opportunity to review not only compliance but also workplace culture.

Consider:

• Is your Carer’s Leave policy easy to understand?
• Do managers know how to respond when employees request leave?
• Are flexible working options communicated clearly?
• Do employees know where to find information about their rights?

Supporting employees with caring responsibilities often improves retention, wellbeing and employee engagement while helping businesses prepare for future legal requirements.

 

Conduct a Workforce Audit Before the Reforms Arrive

One of the most valuable things employers can do during the consultation period is carry out a workforce audit.

This doesn’t need to be a lengthy exercise.

Start by reviewing:

Employment contracts

Identify employees working under zero-hours, low-hours or casual contracts.

Working patterns

Compare contracted hours with the hours employees actually work.

Shift scheduling

Review how much notice employees receive and how often shifts are cancelled or changed.

HR policies

Check whether your Carer’s Leave, flexible working and absence policies reflect current best practice.

Manager training

Ensure managers understand existing rights and are aware that further changes are likely.

This type of review will make future implementation significantly easier.

 

Preparing Now Will Reduce Future Disruption

Although the consultations remain open until 29 August 2026, the overall direction of employment law reform is already becoming clear.

Businesses that prepare now are likely to experience:

• Less disruption when legislation is introduced.
• Fewer compliance risks.
• Better workforce planning.
• More confident managers.
• Smoother communication with employees.

Preparation isn’t about predicting every detail of the final legislation.

It’s about ensuring your business has the systems, policies and workforce data needed to adapt quickly when the reforms become law.

 

How HR Team Can Help

Employment law reforms often affect much more than contracts. They influence workforce planning, HR policies, payroll processes and day-to-day management.

HR Team works with businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland to help employers prepare for legislative change before it becomes a compliance challenge.

Our consultants can help you:

• Review zero-hours and casual worker contracts.
• Audit workforce arrangements.
• Assess potential risks relating to agency workers.
• Update Carer’s Leave and flexible working policies.
• Train managers on upcoming employment law changes.
• Prepare practical implementation plans ahead of the new legislation.

Preparing early gives your business more time, greater certainty and fewer surprises when the Employment Rights Bill reforms take effect.

Contact HR Team today to review your workforce and ensure your business is ready for the next phase of the Make Work Pay reforms.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Make Work Pay consultations?

The Make Work Pay consultations are part of the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill. They seek feedback on how proposed employment law reforms, including changes to zero-hours contracts, agency workers and carers’ rights, should operate before the final regulations are introduced.

When do the consultations close?

The current consultations are open until 29 August 2026. Once responses have been reviewed, the Government will publish the final regulations and implementation timetable.

Are zero-hours contracts being banned?

No. The proposals do not ban zero-hours contracts. Instead, they aim to provide greater certainty for workers who regularly work predictable hours while preserving genuine flexibility where appropriate.

How could these reforms affect employers?

Businesses that rely on zero-hours workers, agency staff or flexible scheduling may need to review contracts, workforce planning, scheduling practices and HR policies to ensure they comply with the new requirements.

Why should businesses prepare before the consultations end?

Preparing early allows employers to identify potential risks, review workforce arrangements and update policies before the legislation takes effect. This can reduce disruption and make compliance much easier.

What changes are being considered for employees with caring responsibilities?

The consultations explore ways to strengthen workplace support for employees with unpaid caring responsibilities. Employers should review their Carer’s Leave, flexible working and manager guidance to ensure they are ready for any future changes.

How can HR Team help?

HR Team can help you audit your workforce, review employment contracts, update HR policies, train managers and prepare your business for the Employment Rights Bill, ensuring you’re ready to implement the changes with confidence.