Overtime and Break Laws in United Kingdom (2026)
Working Time Regulations 1998 (Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016); National Minimum Wage Act 1998 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
No statutory overtime premium. Employers do not have to pay extra for overtime; any overtime rate comes from the employment contract.
Breaks and lunch
One uninterrupted 20-minute rest break when the working day is more than 6 hours. It does not have to be paid unless the contract says so.
Overtime in United Kingdom
The law sets no overtime premium of its own here. What overtime pays is up to the employment contract or the collective agreement.
- Average pay across all hours worked, overtime included, must not fall below the National Minimum Wage.
- Weekly working time is capped at 48 hours on average, normally averaged over 17 weeks.
- Workers can voluntarily opt out of the 48-hour average limit in writing.
- Under-18s cannot work more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.
- Northern Ireland has its own regulations but the same core limits (48-hour average, 20-minute break, 11-hour daily rest).
Averaging over a pay period: The 48-hour limit is averaged, normally over 17 weeks. No averaging concept for pay because there is no premium.
Breaks and lunch in United Kingdom
- Rest break: 1 × 20 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 6 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | 1 × 20 min, unpaid | None |
| 8 hours | 1 × 20 min, unpaid | None |
| 10 hours | 1 × 20 min, unpaid | None |
| 12 hours | 1 × 20 min, unpaid | None |
- Daily rest of 11 hours between working days.
- Weekly rest of an uninterrupted 24 hours each week, or 48 hours each fortnight.
- Young workers (under 18): a 30-minute break after more than 4.5 hours, 12 hours daily rest, 48 hours weekly rest.
- A lunch or coffee break can count as the rest break.
- Northern Ireland: same 20-minute break after more than 6 hours, 11 hours daily rest and 24 hours weekly rest.
Pay by United Kingdom rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick United Kingdom: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in United Kingdom?
No statutory overtime premium. Employers do not have to pay extra for overtime; any overtime rate comes from the employment contract.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in United Kingdom?
The 48-hour limit is averaged, normally over 17 weeks. No averaging concept for pay because there is no premium.
What breaks are required in United Kingdom?
One uninterrupted 20-minute rest break when the working day is more than 6 hours. It does not have to be paid unless the contract says so.