Working hours calculator
Enter the start time, end time and unpaid break for each day of the week. The calculator returns the hours actually worked, the monthly and yearly equivalents payroll uses, any hours beyond your contract and a check against the statutory limits: the 48-hour week, rest breaks and daily rest. Built for the UK, with France, Italy and Spain one click away.
- Monthly average
- 162h 30m
- 162.5 hours
- Yearly total
- 1950h
- 1950 hours
- Average per working day
- 7h 30m
- 7.5 hours
Payroll convention: the week times 52, divided by 12 for the month. Before public holidays, annual leave and sickness.
Checks against the rules for United Kingdom
Nothing exceeds the statutory limits we check: daily maximum, rest breaks, daily rest and the weekly ceiling.
Method: hours worked = end minus start minus unpaid breaks, day by day. The checks apply the statutory thresholds of the selected country; collective agreements and contracts may set stricter or different rules. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere. This page is not legal advice.
UK working time in six numbers
- 35 to 40 hours The typical full-time week. UK law never defines full time; official guidance says it usually means 35 hours or more.
- 48 hours Maximum average working week under the Working Time Regulations 1998, averaged over 17 weeks, unless the worker signs a voluntary opt-out.
- 20 minutes Uninterrupted rest break due once the working day exceeds 6 hours. Young workers get 30 minutes after 4.5 hours.
- 11 hours Minimum rest between two working days, plus 24 uninterrupted hours off each week (or 48 hours per fortnight).
- 0% Statutory overtime premium. None exists in the UK: overtime pay is a matter for the contract, as long as average pay stays at or above the National Minimum Wage.
- 162.5 hours Monthly equivalent of a 37.5-hour week (37.5 × 52 ÷ 12). A 40-hour week gives 173.33, a 35-hour week 151.67.
How to calculate working hours in four steps
Whether you fill in a timesheet, check a payslip or plan a rota, the arithmetic is always the same. The calculator above does it for you; here is what it does.
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Record the start and end of each day
Write down when work actually begins and ends, not the contractual times. If a shift crosses midnight, the end belongs to the next day (22:00 to 06:00 is eight hours).
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Work out the daily span
End time minus start time gives the span, the time spent at or available to work, breaks included. 09:00 to 17:30 is a span of 8 hours 30 minutes.
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Deduct unpaid breaks
Take off the breaks during which you were free to do as you pleased, typically lunch. A 60-minute lunch turns that 8h 30m span into 7h 30m of working time.
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Add up the days
Sum the daily results for the weekly total, then multiply by 52 and divide by 12 for the monthly average payroll uses. Five days of 7h 30m make 37.5 hours a week and 162.5 hours a month.
hours worked = (end − start) − unpaid breaks · monthly average = weekly hours × 52 ÷ 12
Example: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30 with a one-hour lunch. Span 8h 30m, working time 7h 30m a day, 37.5 hours a week, 162.5 hours a month, 1,950 hours a year before annual leave and bank holidays. Change any single day above and every figure updates.
Which breaks come off the count
Working time, under the Working Time Regulations, is any period when the worker is working, at the employer's disposal and carrying out their activities or duties. A break counts as working time only if that definition still holds during it. That gives a simple test for every pause in the day.
| Type of break | Counts as working time? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Free break | No, deduct it. The worker is off duty and can leave the workplace. | Lunch away from the desk, the statutory 20-minute rest break when taken freely, a coffee run. |
| Break at the employer's disposal | Yes, count it. The worker must stay available and cannot use the time as they like. | Eating at the till because the shop stays open, staying on the ward during a quiet spell, waiting on site for a delivery. |
| Grey areas | Depends on the facts and the contract. | Travel between clients (working time), the daily commute (not working time), on-call time at home (usually not, unless the contract says otherwise). |
The statutory minimum is one uninterrupted break of at least 20 minutes when the working day exceeds 6 hours, taken away from the workstation where possible. Contracts and collective agreements routinely give more (a paid 15-minute tea break, a 30-minute lunch) and decide whether those extra breaks are paid; the calculator lets you enter whatever your workplace applies.
Overtime in the UK: what the law does and does not say
The UK has no statutory overtime rate. Whether hours beyond the contract are paid at all, paid at time and a half, or converted into time off in lieu (TOIL) is written in the contract or the staff handbook. Two rules do apply to everyone: total pay divided by total hours must never fall below the National Minimum Wage, and the 48-hour average ceiling still counts overtime. The calculator therefore shows the hours beyond your contract as a fact, and leaves the rate to your agreement.
| Situation | What applies | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hours within the contract | Paid at the contractual rate. | A 37.5-hour contract at £14 an hour: £525 for the week. |
| Voluntary overtime | No obligation to pay extra unless the contract says so; many employers pay time and a quarter or time and a half, or grant TOIL. | 3 extra hours at time and a half on £14: 3 × £21 = £63. |
| Compulsory or guaranteed overtime | Set out in the contract; regular overtime counts toward holiday pay calculations. | A rota that always includes a 4-hour Saturday shift: those hours feed into the average used for holiday pay. |
| Beyond 48 hours a week on average | Not allowed unless the worker has signed an opt-out; the employer must keep records showing compliance. | Six weeks at 52 hours followed by eleven at 45 average out just under 48 over 17 weeks. |
The 48-hour opt-out
A worker can agree in writing to work more than 48 hours a week on average. The opt-out must be voluntary, cannot be a condition of employment, and can be cancelled by giving between 7 days and 3 months notice, depending on what was agreed. It never applies to young workers, to some transport jobs or to the rest rules: the 11-hour daily rest, the weekly rest and the 20-minute break stay in force whatever the hours.
Part-time hours
Part time in the UK simply means fewer hours than the full-time norm at the same workplace; there is no legal minimum. Pay, holiday and other benefits are pro-rated, and a part-time worker cannot be treated less favourably than a comparable full-timer. Overtime for a part-timer normally starts only when the hours exceed what a full-timer would work, unless the contract says otherwise. The calculator handles any pattern: enter three days, four short days or split shifts and read the weekly, monthly and yearly totals.
Statutory limits at a glance
The Working Time Regulations 1998 set the frame every contract must fit inside. These are the figures the calculator checks your week against when the United Kingdom is selected.
| Rule | Limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Average working week | 48 hours | Averaged over 17 weeks (26 or 52 in some sectors or by agreement); voluntary opt-out possible. |
| Rest break during the day | 20 minutes | Once the working day exceeds 6 hours; 30 minutes after 4.5 hours for under-18s. |
| Daily rest | 11 consecutive hours | Between two working days; 12 hours for young workers. |
| Weekly rest | 24 hours | Uninterrupted, per 7 days, or 48 hours per 14 days. |
| Night work | 8 hours | Average per 24 hours for night workers; an absolute limit where the work involves special hazards. |
| Paid holiday | 5.6 weeks | 28 days for a five-day week, bank holidays may be included; pro-rated for part time. |
Do employers have to record working hours?
Yes, to a point. The regulations require employers to keep records adequate to show that the 48-hour limit and the night-work limits are respected, and to keep them for two years. There is no prescribed format: a timesheet, a rota with actual hours, or clocking data all work. Recording start, end and breaks for every worker, as this calculator does for one week, is the simplest way to be able to prove compliance and to pay overtime correctly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my working hours per week?
For each day, subtract the start time from the end time and then deduct the unpaid breaks; add the seven daily results. Example: five days from 09:00 to 17:30 with a one-hour lunch give 7 hours 30 minutes a day and 37.5 hours a week. The calculator on this page does exactly that and also converts the result into monthly and yearly hours.
How many hours a month is a 37.5-hour week?
162.5 hours on average: 37.5 hours × 52 weeks ÷ 12 months. A 40-hour week gives 173.33 hours a month and a 35-hour week 151.67. These are payroll averages; a real month has 20 to 23 working days, so the exact figure varies by a few hours from one month to the next.
Do lunch breaks count as working hours?
Not if you are free during them. A break counts as working time only when you remain at your employer's disposal, for example eating at the till because the shop stays open. A normal lunch away from your duties is deducted, whether or not your employer chooses to pay for it.
What is the maximum number of hours I can work in a week in the UK?
48 hours on average, calculated over a 17-week reference period, under the Working Time Regulations 1998. You can work more if you sign a voluntary opt-out, which you can later cancel. Under-18s are limited to 8 hours a day and 40 a week with no opt-out. Rest rules apply regardless: a 20-minute break in any day over 6 hours, 11 hours between shifts and one full day off a week.
Is overtime pay compulsory in the UK?
No. There is no legal right to be paid extra for overtime, or to be paid for it at all, unless the contract says so. The only floor is the National Minimum Wage: total pay divided by total hours worked in the pay period must not fall below it. Regular overtime does, however, have to be reflected in holiday pay.
Does this calculator work for France, Italy or Spain?
Yes. Pick the country at the top of the calculator and the reference week, rest rules and overtime tiers switch: 35 hours and the +25% and +50% overtime bands in France, 40 hours and the CCNL-set premium in Italy, 40 hours and the 80-hour yearly overtime cap in Spain. The explanations on this page describe the UK; the French, Italian and Spanish versions of the site cover their own markets in detail.
Keep reading
- How to calculate monthly working hours
- How many hours is considered full-time?
- Working days calculator
Sources: the Working Time Regulations 1998 (maximum weekly working time, rest breaks, daily and weekly rest, records), GOV.UK guidance on maximum weekly working hours, rest breaks at work and overtime, and Acas guidance on working hours. Monthly and yearly figures follow the payroll convention (weekly hours × 52 ÷ 12). Employment law changes: check the current text and your contract before relying on any figure.
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