UK Break Time Compliance Calculator

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, adult workers who work more than 6 hours in a day are entitled to one uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes. This is a minimum — employers can choose to give longer breaks. Workers on shifts under 6 hours have no statutory right to a rest break.

If an adult worker works more than 6 hours in a single day, UK law requires a minimum 20-minute uninterrupted rest break. This break must be a single continuous period — it cannot be split into shorter pauses of, say, 10 minutes each. The employer decides when the break is taken, within the working day.

Yes. Young workers under 18 are entitled to a 30-minute rest break if they work more than 4.5 hours in a day — stricter than the 6-hour threshold for adults. Young workers also cannot work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, with no opt-out available. They must also have 12 hours rest between shifts (compared to 11 hours for adults).

Not automatically. UK law does not require rest breaks to be paid. Whether breaks are paid depends entirely on what is stated in the employment contract. Most employers do not pay for meal breaks but may pay for shorter rest breaks. Check your employment contract or staff handbook for your employer's policy.

A break is uninterrupted if the worker is completely free from work duties for the entire duration. Workers cannot be required to answer phones, serve customers, monitor equipment, or be 'on call' during their statutory rest break. Brief interruptions — even if infrequent — may mean the break does not legally count as the statutory rest entitlement.

Yes. There is no legal requirement for employers to allow workers to leave the premises during breaks. However, the break must still be genuinely uninterrupted. Employers can require workers to remain on site for security or operational reasons, but workers must be free from all work duties during that time.

Yes. Some sectors have specific rules that may differ from or supplement the standard Working Time Regulations. Road transport drivers must follow EU-derived drivers' hours rules (a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving). Aviation crew, seafarers, and railway workers each have sector-specific rest requirements. If you work in one of these sectors, check the rules specific to your industry.

Separate from in-shift breaks, adult workers must have at least 11 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one working day and the start of the next. For example, finishing at 11pm means the next shift should not start before 10am the following day. Young workers under 18 must have 12 consecutive hours rest between shifts.

Adult workers can agree in writing to modify certain working time rules, but the right to a rest break during shifts longer than 6 hours cannot be waived by an individual worker. However, collective or workforce agreements (between employers and recognised trade unions or elected workforce representatives) can modify when and how rest breaks are taken in certain circumstances.

Rest breaks are enforced by the worker, not by inspectors: refusing a statutory rest break is not a criminal offence. A worker who is denied one can bring a claim to an employment tribunal, usually within three months, and the tribunal can award compensation. Dismissing or penalising a worker for asking for their breaks is unlawful too. The Health and Safety Executive and local councils enforce the working time limits instead (the 48-hour average and night work). Maintaining accurate records of break times — for example using timesheet software — is the best way to demonstrate compliance.