NEW laws for the gig economy are needed as the workforce is set to quadruple in two years, a safety body has said.  

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) called for gig economy workers to the same better employment rights and protections as more secure form of work.

The 1.7 million gig economy workforce is predicted to grow by more than 300 per cent by 2027.

Labour commitments to create a “single status of worker” did not make the government’s Employment Rights Bill last year.

IOSH head of policy Ruth Wilkinson said that there are “many drawbacks which overshadow” the perks of gig economy work which “pose risks to people’s safety, health and well-being and are inconsistent with decent work standards and principles.

“The absence of social protections or provisions in this type of work … can lead to issues such as people working while too ill to do so or experiencing health impacts from not having any time off, resulting in fatigue or burnout.”