The consultation was launched in February 2018 and the Government's response has recently been published.
While many respondents to the consultation agreed that there was a need for employment status reform, there was no overall consensus on how this could be achieved. The Government believes that the UK's three tiered status framework (employee, worker and self-employed) allows a flexible and dynamic labour market and provides the right balance for the time being. The Government does not intend to create a new framework whilst the country and businesses recover from the effects of the pandemic. Case law, such as the Uber Supreme Court case, will continue to play a key role in informing how employment status is determined.
The Government has identified the need for enhanced detailed guidance to assist with demystifying case law from the court and helping people to determine what category they fall into. It has published several pieces of updated guidance, including a document aimed at assisting employers.
The Government has also extended the entitlement to a written statement on day one of a job to 'limb (b)' workers and has committed to addressing delays in the Employment Tribunal system to provide a speedier resolutions of cases.