THE number of zero-hours contracts in the UK has increased to 1.8 million over the past year, new figures show.

The total in the year to last November increased from 1.7 million in the previous year, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The number of contracts not guaranteeing regular hours represents 6 per cent of all contracts, unchanged from the previous figure.

The ONS has previously reported that 901,000 workers are on zero-hours contracts.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Most people are not on zero-hour contracts by choice. They want the same rights, security and guaranteed hours as other employees.

"More than half of zero-hour contract workers have had jobs cancelled with less than a day's notice. Zero-hour contracts are a licence to treat people like disposable labour and the Government should ban them."

The news comes less than a week after the latest official figures showed unemployment at its lowest point since 1975, prompting Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, to say: “Day by day we are helping people turn their lives around by getting into employment. Jobs are key to transforming lives and work is the best route out of poverty.”