Rachel Reeves MP, Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, responding to a new report on under-employment, said:

“Under-employment is a huge problem in David Cameron’s economy. The number of people working part time who want a full-time job is costing taxpayers a staggering £4.3 billion a year, including £1.6 billion in housing benefit.

“David Cameron’s failure to tackle under-employment has left millions of people stuck in part-time jobs unable to get the hours of work they want. This has deepened the cost-of-living crisis and pushed up the social security bill.

“Labour is determined to control the cost of social security by getting people back to work and making work pay.”