Hours being changed at work at short notice

[filthiestfis]

At work, the manager keeps changing my hours on the roter without telling. For example, we get the weekly roter on sunday, well on monday I write down my hours. But then they just change and suddenly where I had the saturday off I now have to work it. I dont get told and this is at short notice. I find it very rude and If I already have plans I have to cancel them but the manager keeps doing this to me.

Can they just change your hours as and when they feel like it even at very short notice? Is this really legal?

[buildersmate]

The short answer is 'no', Fi, but life is never that easy.
I've been involved in setting rotas for large numbers of staff with established careers - many with long service. We gave staff a minimum of 6 months notice of the shift plan.
At the other end of the scale, small businesses that rely on staff flexibility - some over-reliant on it, will often push their luck and demand unreasonable things from their staff. I suspect this happens a lot in the retail sector.
In any event it is reasonable that you are given your contractual notice-worth of time ahead of your shift rota. I don't know how long you've been there, but your minimum contractual notice is one week up to 2 years of service - then one week for each year of employment up to 12 weeks.
I suggest that ask for a meeting with your manager, state how committed you are to helping him and the business but state that you do need time to adjust - and you think that two week's minimum notice is reasonable. What does he/she think. Unless you don't give a stuff about the business, in which case its time time to find a better job and a better line manager to go with it.