New research by LCP highlights the financial pressures prompting employees to consider second jobs. Its survey of 10,000 employees found that 34% were considering a second job to support their finances. Among 25–34-year-olds, the figure reached 46%.
In Brief
LCP research involving 10,000 employees found that 34% are considering second jobs for financial reasons. The findings highlight financial insecurity and its reported effects on workplace productivity and employee engagement. For employers, additional employment also raises contractual, working-time and health and safety considerations.
Key Points
- Among 25–34-year-olds, 46% are considering a second job. LCP's figures measure intentions, whereas ONS data shows that 1.283 million people (3.7% of those in employment) actually held second jobs between May and July 2026, slightly fewer than a year earlier.
- Only 19% of employees feel financially secure, down from 28% in 2020. A further 35% meet their regular commitments but often have little capacity to absorb an unexpected expense.
- 57% say financial concerns have affected their work and 41% report feeling less engaged or motivated. Those distracted by money worries estimate an average 24% impact on their productivity.
- More than two in five employees under 35 are considering changing employer because of financial pressures, suggesting that interest in second jobs may form part of a wider reassessment of pay and career prospects.
- Second jobs do not automatically breach employment contracts, although competing with an employer, disclosing confidential information or working unsafe hours can breach the duty of fidelity. Exclusivity clauses are unenforceable in zero-hours contracts and qualifying low-paid contracts.
- The 48-hour average weekly limit applies across all of a worker’s jobs unless they have signed a valid opt-out. Employers must also consider daily rest entitlements and fatigue risks, which compliance with working-time limits alone does not eliminate.
These findings measure intentions, not the number of people actually working multiple jobs. As we highlighted in an article back in January 2026, second jobs were already a significant workforce issue. The latest ONS data estimates that 1.283 million people held second jobs between May and July 2026, representing 3.7% of those in employment. Although the number rose over the latest quarter, it was lower than a year earlier, when 1.305 million people (around 3.8% of those in employment) held second jobs.
Financial Confidence Does Not Mean Financial Security
Just 19% of LCP respondents described themselves as financially secure, down from 28% in 2020. Another 35% were managing their regular commitments but often had little capacity to absorb an unexpected expense. Financial pressure can therefore persist even where an employee is paying the bills and appears to be managing reasonably well.
LCP also found that confidence in managing everyday finances had increased by 12% since 2024. This apparent improvement contrasts with the longer-term decline in financial security. Employees may feel more capable of handling routine expenses without having the savings or financial flexibility to withstand an unexpected bill or loss of income. That distinction matters when employers assess financial wellbeing based on how well employees appear to be coping.
The consequences extend beyond household budgeting. The report found that 60% of employees said money worries affected their self-confidence and self-worth. Interest in second jobs should therefore be understood in the context of financial resilience, rather than assumptions about particular salary bands or living arrangements.
Financial Stress Is Already Affecting Work
Of those surveyed, 57% said financial concerns had affected their work, while 41% reported lower engagement or motivation. Where employees were distracted by money worries, the average reported impact on productivity was 24%. That is a survey-based estimate among those affected, not a measured decline across the entire workforce. Nor does the research establish that second jobs themselves cause poorer performance.
Additional earnings may ease immediate financial pressure, but taking on further hours can also increase fatigue. Employers should not assume that an employee's performance problems are caused by outside work, or that preventing it would resolve underlying financial difficulties.
As we highlighted in an earlier article, financial strain can arise even among employees receiving pay increases. The practical issue is whether employers understand the pressures affecting their workforce before treating additional employment primarily as a problem.
Can Employers Restrict Second Jobs?
Employees do not automatically breach their contracts by accepting second jobs. However, as Acas guidance points out, working in competition with an employer, disclosing confidential information or taking on so many hours that the main job becomes unsafe can breach the duty of fidelity.
Employment contracts may require disclosure or consent, but the legal restrictions on exclusivity must be respected. Exclusivity clauses are unenforceable in zero-hours contracts and, under the 2022 Regulations, in other qualifying contracts where net average weekly wages do not exceed the statutory lower earnings limit.
The law may develop further. Section 8 of the Employment Rights Act 2025 came into force on 6 January 2026, giving the Government wider powers to regulate exclusivity clauses in zero-hours working arrangements. However, it did not automatically make all such clauses unenforceable. Employers must therefore apply the existing rules when considering second jobs, distinguishing genuine conflicts of interest from unrelated work undertaken in employees’ own time.
Working Hours, Rest and Fatigue
Where workers hold second jobs with different employers, the normal 48-hour average weekly limit applies across all their jobs, usually calculated over 17 weeks. The Acas guidance on working time states that employers should discuss the combined hours and the possibility of a voluntary written opt-out if the limit may be exceeded.
Workers are also normally entitled to 11 consecutive hours of rest between working days, subject to statutory exceptions.
Legal compliance alone does not eliminate the risks. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warns that employers must manage fatigue risks arising from long hours and insufficient recovery, even where working-time limits are observed. The employee's actual duties and combined working pattern remain important.
Recruitment, Retention and Financial Wellbeing
LCP's findings also indicate that more than two in five employees under 35 were considering changing employer because of financial pressures. Interest in second jobs may therefore accompany a wider reassessment of pay, benefits and career prospects, rather than signal a permanent intention to hold multiple roles.
Employers can review remuneration, explain available benefits and signpost confidential financial guidance. Flexible payroll arrangements may assist some employees, but no single measure will resolve every financial difficulty. Support should reflect employees' circumstances rather than simply what an existing benefits package offers.
Second jobs remain a legitimate management issue where they create risks to safety, confidentiality or performance. However, LCP's research suggests that financial insecurity deserves equal attention. Employers who understand why employees seek additional income may be better placed to manage those risks while retaining experienced staff.
Employers: What This Means
Contractual restrictions alone cannot address the financial pressures that lead employees to seek second jobs or better-paid work elsewhere. Employers should consider whether pay, benefits and available support meet staff needs, while managing genuine risks to confidentiality, performance and safety arising from additional employment.
- Retention and financial support: Employees considering additional work may also be weighing up a move elsewhere. Review pay, benefits and career prospects, explain available support and signpost confidential financial guidance rather than assuming that existing arrangements meet employees' needs.
- Disclosure and contractual restrictions: Make disclosure straightforward and assess outside work individually. Check whether consent requirements are enforceable, particularly for zero-hours and qualifying low-paid contracts, and distinguish genuine competition or confidentiality concerns from unrelated activities.
- Combined hours and fatigue: Review working hours and shift patterns across all jobs. Check the normal 48-hour average limit and any voluntary written opt-out, alongside applicable rest entitlements. An opt-out does not remove rest requirements or the employer's responsibility to manage fatigue risks.
- Performance and engagement: Do not assume that second jobs explain declining performance. LCP's findings concern financial worries and do not establish that additional employment causes poorer work. Discuss the reasons for any difficulties before deciding on appropriate support or management action.
