West Midlands is 'zero hours capital' of the UK

79,000 people in the West Midlands are on zero hours contracts Credit: PA

The West Midlands has the highest proportion of people on zero hours contracts in the whole of the UK, according to new data.

3.1 per cent of the region’s working population are on the contracts, which do not guarantee regular working hours. This is significantly higher than the UK-wide average of 2.4 per cent.

In total, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates that 79,000 people in the West Midlands were on the contracts in April to June 2015.

The East Midlands had the second highest proportion of workers on zero hours contracts in the country.

65,000 people were on the contracts in the same period, representing 2.9% of the working population.

Across the UK, nearly three-quarters of a million people are on zero hours contracts in the UK, a fifth higher than a year before.

People on “zero-hours contracts” are more likely to be women, in full-time education or in young or older age groups when compared with other people in employment.