Low-paid parents in the UK who ask for flexible work arrangements are penalised with reduced hours, worst shifts or redundancy, according to a study from the Trades Union Congress.

The study of more than 1,000 low-paid parents with combined household incomes of £28,000 or less showed that 47% of them are struggling to manage work and childcare and 42% said they felt punished at work when they asked for flexibility.

Respondents were on a variety of contracts, including some on permanent contracts who also had irregular hours and were only told about shifts at short notice.

Meanwhile the study also showed that 58% of parents working in low-paid sectors like retail, hospitality and social care said that they were unaware of the legal rights at work they were entitled to and 63% were not aware of their right to unpaid parental leave. As a result nearly half, or 49%, were not using their right to time off which meant they ended up taking sick leave or holiday to cover childcare. Nearly one in three, or 29%, had resorted to taking annual leave to cover their child being sick in the last year and some were prevented from leaving to look after their children in an emergency. Furthermore, 26% of low-paid parents said they had their shifts changed at short notice, and 19% had been given their rota less than a week in advance, making planning childcare very difficult.

“Too many workplaces expect mums and dads to forget all about their kids as soon as they walk through the door,” TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said. “But it’s a nightmare to plan childcare when your boss changes your shifts at the drop of a hat, and you never work the same weekly hours twice.”

“Many parents fear losing shifts, taking unpaid leave or being viewed badly at work if they need time off to look after their kids,” O’Grady said. “And it is shocking that some mums and dads are being stopped from taking their children to hospital when they are sick.”

“All workers should be given notice of their shifts at least one month in advance.  Everyone at work should get the same parents’ rights from day one – and everyone should be given written information about these rights,” O’Grady said.