Zero-hours contract
What it really means
A contract with no guaranteed hours — the employer offers shifts when they have work, and pay only comes when you work. Common in hospitality, retail and care. You still have rights like minimum wage and holiday pay; see GOV.UK.
Context, tips & common mistakes
Zero-hours workers have more rights than many employers let on: at least the minimum wage for every hour worked (including time spent at mandatory briefings or waiting on site once a shift starts), paid holiday that accrues with the hours you work, rest breaks, and payslips showing hours. Exclusivity clauses — terms stopping you working for anyone else — are unenforceable in zero-hours contracts, so ignore a manager who says you 'belong' to them. The flexibility cuts both ways: you can refuse shifts, but in practice refusing often means fewer offers later, so ask early how shifts are allocated and how much notice of cancellation is given, because a cancelled shift on the day usually means no pay under many contracts. Holiday pay is the most commonly withheld entitlement in casual work — if it never appears on your payslip, query it in writing and contact ACAS if the answer is vague.