Zero hours contracts: What are the pros and cons?

Nearly half of large companies operating in the UK employ 1.4 million people on zero-hours contracts, a study from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) says.

The contracts do not guarantee a minimum number of hours of employment.

Dale King opted to give up his full time job, in favour of zero-hours working when his eldest child was born.

He told the BBC: "The disadvantages are, if work is slow then the amount of money I earn that week may not be sufficient to cover the bills."