BOSSES should not wait for the Employment Rights Act to be introduced to offer new forms of flexibility at work, researchers say.

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University urged firms to plan for more flexible options for employees, including adaptable working hours, permission to work from home and freedom about how to carry out daily tasks.

Claiming Britain was still “blighted” by near record levels of health-related economic inactivity, the think tank surveyed 4,000 people asking about conditions in their workplaces.

The study found that those with a health condition or disability are less likely to have access to flexible working options.

Such allocations could be essential in supporting them to enter and succeed at work, the report said.

The think tank also found that people with long-term health conditions are less likely to be working jobs which give them the autonomy to manage daily tasks or have flexible working hours.

Work Foundation director Ben Harrison said: “Flexible working is not a perk or a ‘nice to have’ – it can make the difference between someone suffering with their health being able to remain in work, or to return.

“Our analysis indicates that workers who face a health setback without any job flexibility are four times more likely to leave work.”

Disabled People Against Cuts campaign co-founder Linda Burnip told the Star: “Flexible working practices are essential to facilitate the employment of disabled people.

“But frankly, until the current cuts and huge and unacceptable backlog to Access to Work funding is rectified disabled people will continue to be unable to enter any Labour markets.”