CASUAL workers are five times more likely to drop out of work than those on permanent contracts, according to a new TUC report published today.

People who had been in casual employment for a year or more were at much greater risk of becoming jobless than permanent staff, researchers at Sheffield and Greenwich universities found.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “People are often told that casual contracts are a stepping stone to finding better work.

“But for many this isn’t the case. Instead of improving their career prospects, lots of casual workers find themselves dropping out of work altogether.”

Separate TUC polling has found that two-thirds of zero-hours workers would prefer to have guaranteed hours.

More than half say they have difficulty managing living expenses because they can’t get enough hours.