Amid a 40-year inflation high, soaring energy bills and rising mortgage payments, ahead of Christmas, temporary workers have been advised to claim the holiday pay from the employment agencies and umbrella companies engaging them.

This is the advice of the support group for independent workers, IWORK.

Many of the UK’s flexible workforce miss out on their statutory right to paid holiday every year, IWORK said.

IWORK has raised a reminder to employment agencies and umbrella companies that temporary workers need to be made aware of their right to receive holiday pay. And if they don’t know they should be receiving paid holiday, they are unlikely to be claiming it.

For example, if just 2% of the UK’s temp population is missing out on a £3k annual holiday pay entitlement (based on an average annual salary of £26k), then £97m is being unclaimed in the UK alone.

IWORK founder Julia Kermode commented: “£97m is a staggering figure, but in reality, it’s very likely just the tip of the iceberg. With the cost-of-living crisis taking hold and people spiralling into debt, it’s vital that temporary workers claim what’s rightfully theirs – especially when taking some time off this Christmas, which is by far the most expensive time of the year.

“Temporary workers are incredibly valuable to the economy. They’re an unseen army of unsung heroes who prop up businesses in their times of need... So, along with encouraging temps to claim paid holiday, we are stressing the importance of compliant umbrella companies and agencies ensuring these workers receive what’s owed to them.”

The campaign’s call to action for temporary workers to kickstart holiday pay-related conversations with their respective engagers is underpinned by the hashtags #doyougetyours and #askforitgetit.

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