Working Time Rules: United Kingdom
United Kingdom: standard working hours, overtime, rest, annual leave, and record-keeping rules - a practical overview, not legal advice.
Statutory working time
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, workers may not work more than an average of 48 hours per week, measured over a 17-week reference period. Workers may voluntarily opt out of this limit by written agreement with their employer.
Overtime
There is no statutory overtime premium; pay for extra hours follows the contract, subject to National Minimum Wage averaging. The 48-hour average weekly limit can be set aside by a voluntary written opt-out that the worker can later cancel, and regular overtime can increase statutory holiday pay.
Rest periods
At least 11 hours of daily rest, a 20-minute break when the working day exceeds six hours, and a weekly rest period.
Record-keeping
Employers must keep records adequate to show that the working-time limits are being met. Since 2024, they need not record every worker's daily hours if compliance can be shown another way.
What to check before you rely on this
- The current statutory limits, reference periods, and any opt-outs.
- Sector or collective-agreement rules that may override the defaults.
- How overtime is authorised, recorded, and compensated.
- What working-time records you must keep and for how long.