[TheOtherHobbes]

I think you'll find the terms of employment may be relevant too.

A lot of employment in the UK has moved from being a job to being a zero-hours "we only pay you if we want you for a day, but you have to be available for us to choose you every day" contract.

Most people would prefer a steady job, but when the playing field is so heavily slanted politically, that kind of job is becoming a middle class luxury.