Four-and-a-half million people in England and Wales are in insecure work, according to research by Citizens Advice, which has warned too much focus on boosting pay risks ignoring the problem of unpredictable incomes for many households. Eight in 10 people in work said a steady job with regular pay increased productivity and 86% said it increased their loyalty. The poll of more than 2,000 people also suggested employers have more to gain from their staff if people had a secure income. | Zoe WilliamsThe charity highlighted the debt problems and difficulties accessing in-work benefits for the millions of people who do not have fixed, regular working hours. “While for some people working shifts or temporary contracts may provide the flexibility they want, many others struggle to balance the books in the face of such insecure employment,” said the Citizens Advice chief executive, Gillian Guy.

Source: The Guardian June 12, 2016 22:52 UTC