Hours, rest breaks and the working week
The rules about hours of work
If you're an employer, your workers' hours will be governed by the Working Time Regulations. These cover:
In general, workers aged 18 and over are entitled to:
- four weeks' holiday a year
- work no more than six days out of every seven, or 12 out of every 14
- take a 20-minute break if they work more than six hours
- work a maximum 48-hour average week - see the page in this guide on working hours in a week
Workers aged 16 and 17 should:
- take at least 30 minutes' break if they work more than four-and-a-half hours
- work no more than eight hours a day and 40 hours a week
- have 12 hours' rest between working days and two days off every week - see our guide on employing young people
All workers are covered by the regulations, including part-time, casual, freelance and agency staff. Exceptions include:
- those determining their own hours, such as certain members of senior management
- sectors that are subject to different rules - see the page in this guide on how to check if special exemptions apply to your business
- certain circumstances in which employees agree to changes, or to opt out of working-time limits
It's important you keep records of all your workers' hours to show that you're complying with the regulations. It's also good practice to monitor working hours. Read guidance on keeping records at the DTI website.
Subjects covered in this guide
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