Work not providing contract

[Tiggles]

I have worked for a company for a year (on a fixed term contract), starting in August 2011. Around May I was told that my contract would be renewed for a longer period (but again a fixed term contract). No contract arrived to sign, and was told it would be done in July as wasn't needed until August. In August they were too busy/holidays etc, and "it doesn't matter as we have 2 months to give you a contract". I asked recently and was told it would materialise in October. Well two months are now up and still no contract. I have been paid for the last couple of months (Apparently that is their priority) and have an email trail signing off my contract extension, but where do I stand if they continue to refuse to provide a contract/written terms and conditions?
Thanks

You should assume the terms and conditions you were working under continue to apply in the absence of different ones being given to you. It wouldn't necessarily be usual to give you a new contract anyway, frequently a letter confirming an extension and a new end date if appropriate would be fine.

As you've been there longer than a year you have rights to claim unfair dismissal anyway, so there's protection there. Do you have a new end date?

Thanks flowery, I don't exactly have a letter confirming the extension, but a forwarded email from someone else to show that they 'are working on it', that was sent back in June time. I'm not sure it has an end date in there (although I have verbally been told the extension period), I'll have to have a good read. I would like a new contract as the first one had me 'on probabation' so it would be nice to confirm that this is no longer the case for example, as apparently they don't have to give me any notice within the probation period .