Better protections for people in the gig economy, a statutory right to leave to care for a family member and a commitment to further increases in the national living wage are among proposals in a 'new deal for workers' being set out by Theresa May.

In another signs of her drive to woo Labour voters, the prime minister will unveil what she claims is the 'greatest expansion in workers's rights by any Conservative government'.

The package includes measures to protect workers' pensions in the wake of the BHS scandal and a guarantee European Union rights will be protected in the Brexit process.

Details of the plans will be published in the Conservative party manifesto this week, but measures will include:

The national living wage for workers aged 25 and over, currently £7.50, will rise in line with average earnings until 2022

A new statutory right for workers to receive information about key decisions affecting their company's future

A new right to request leave for training purposes

A right to leave for workers after the death of a child

The new protections for workers in the so-called gig economy, such as drivers for Uber and internet delivery firms, follow a review set up by the prime minister led by Matthew Taylor, a former adviser to Tony Blair.

Other measures in the plans include representation for workers on company boards, although unions are likely to be disappointed that the proposals fall short of forcing firms to have employees in the boardroom.

The plans will ensuring that listed companies create stakeholder advisory panels, designate an existing non-executive director as the employee representative, or directly appoint a worker representative to the board.

Visiting a training facility in southern England, Theresa May will say: 'By working with business, reducing taxes and dealing with the deficit we have delivered steady improvements to the economic prospects of working people.

'Now is the time to lock in that economic growth and ensure the proceeds are spread to everyone in our country.'

The package of reforms includes changes to the Equalities Act to extend protections from discrimination to those suffering fluctuating or intermittent mental health conditions.

There will also be new returnships, internships for people coming back into the labour market after an absence such as parenthood or a period of caring for a relative.

GMB union general secretary Tim Roache said: 'I'm sure there will be plenty of fanfare that the Conservatives want to try and be nice to workers, but the 'greatest extension of workers rights by a Tory government' frankly wouldn't be that hard to achieve given recent history.'

Liberal Democrat former business secretary Sir Vince Cable said: 'The Conservatives tried to ban workers from striking and were blocked by the Liberal Democrats in government.

'It's clear they aren't the party of workers' rights and that you can't trust them to care about you and your family.'

British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said businesses would be worried about the prospect of 'costly or bureaucratic new obligations, no matter how well-intentioned' while Mike Cherry, national chairman at the Federation of Small Businesses, said new employment regulations 'must be backed up with proper support for smaller businesses'.