Verify breaks meet UK Working Time Regulations. Instant compliance check for adult and young workers.
Young workers have different break requirements
TimeTally automatically flags when breaks don't meet legal requirements
System checks shift length vs break time. Instant alerts when breaks are too short for UK law.
Record when breaks start and end. Full audit trail showing break compliance for every shift worked.
Automatically applies correct rules for under-18s (30 min for 4.5+ hours) vs adults (20 min for 6+ hours).
Start your free 14-day trial. No credit card required.
Your legal obligations as an employer
The Working Time Regulations 1998 require a 20-minute uninterrupted rest break if an adult works more than 6 hours. This break must be uninterrupted - you can't split it into smaller breaks.
Young workers (under 18) get stronger protection. They must have a 30-minute uninterrupted break if working more than 4.5 hours. You cannot ask them to waive this right.
UK law doesn't require breaks to be paid. Whether breaks are paid depends on the employment contract. Most employers don't pay for meal breaks but do pay for shorter rest breaks.
Workers must be completely free from work duties during their break. They can't be required to answer phones, serve customers, or be 'on call' during break time.
Separate from breaks, workers must have 11 consecutive hours rest between shifts. For example, if you finish at midnight, you can't start before 11am the next day.
Not providing adequate breaks is a criminal offence. HSE can prosecute employers, with unlimited fines for serious breaches. Workers can also claim for unlawful deduction of wages.
