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Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, workers cannot be required to work more than an average of 48 hours per week, calculated over a 17-week reference period. This includes overtime. Workers can voluntarily agree to work more by signing a written opt-out agreement, but employers cannot require this as a condition of employment.

Add up all hours worked each day, subtracting any unpaid break time. For example, working 9am to 5:30pm with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break gives 8 hours per day. Over 5 days that is 40 hours per week. The calculator above does this calculation automatically from your clock in/out times and break duration.

Yes. An employee can sign a written opt-out agreement to work more than 48 hours per week on average. This agreement can be for a fixed period or indefinitely. However, employees can withdraw their opt-out at any time by giving written notice — typically 7 days, or longer if specified in the opt-out agreement (up to a maximum of 3 months).

Night workers — those who regularly work at least 3 hours between 11pm and 6am — should not work more than an average of 8 hours in any 24-hour period. This average is calculated over a 17-week reference period. Unlike the 48-hour rule, night workers cannot opt out of this limit. Employers must also offer free health assessments to night workers.

Adult workers must have at least 11 consecutive hours of rest between finishing one shift and starting the next. For example, finishing at midnight means the next shift cannot start before 11am the following day. Workers are also entitled to either 24 consecutive hours off each week, or 48 consecutive hours off every two weeks.

Travel between home and your normal workplace does not count as working time. However, travel that is part of the job — such as travelling to client sites, between company locations, or making deliveries — does count as working time. If your travel time is part of your normal working duties, it must be included when calculating total hours worked.

Yes. All time worked counts towards the 48-hour weekly average, including overtime, regardless of whether it is paid at a premium rate. The 48-hour limit is an average over 17 weeks, so periods of heavy overtime can be balanced against lighter weeks. If an employee regularly exceeds 48 hours, a written opt-out must be in place.

It depends on the nature of the on-call arrangement. Time spent on-call at the workplace counts as working time. Time spent on-call at home, where the worker can rest freely and is only interrupted occasionally, generally does not count. However, if on-call arrangements significantly restrict a worker's freedom, tribunals may treat this time as working time — each situation is assessed individually.

Employers must keep adequate records to show that the 48-hour weekly limit is being observed (or that a valid opt-out is in place). Records should be kept for at least two years. There is no prescribed format — timesheet records, clock in/out data, or rota records all qualify. Using timesheet software like TimeTally makes compliance record-keeping straightforward.

Young workers under 18 have stricter limits: they cannot work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, with no opt-out available. They must have at least 12 consecutive hours rest between shifts (compared to 11 hours for adults), two full days off each week, and a 30-minute rest break for shifts over 4.5 hours. Young workers also cannot work between midnight and 4am in most industries.