New research by the Work Foundation reveals that a record 1.1 million working age people are on zero-hours contracts in the UK as their main form of employment, with women, black workers and younger workers being significantly more likely to be on zero-hour contracts than their counterparts. The policy brief investigates the contemporary use of zero-hour contracts in the UK and examines policy options for reform from comparable countries, with a particular focus on how to introduce regulation in a way that extends contractual security and guaranteed hours while maintaining opportunities for flexibility.