Work Hours Calculator
🇬🇧 United Kingdom version
UK law limits the average working week to 48 hours but sets no overtime rate, so extra pay depends on the contract. This calculator turns a week of start, finish and break times into net hours, prices them in pounds at your hourly rate, and leaves overtime unpaid by default until you add a multiplier from your own contract.
Use Work Hours Calculator online
Work Hours Calculator
Turn a week of clock-in and clock-out times into hours worked, overtime and gross pay. Overnight shifts and unpaid breaks are handled properly, and your timesheet stays on this device.
Hours for the week
| Day | In | Out | Break (min) | Worked | Include |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8h 00m | ||||
| Tuesday | 8h 00m | ||||
| Wednesday | 8h 00m | ||||
| Thursday | 8h 00m | ||||
| Friday | 8h 00m | ||||
| Saturday | 0h 00m | ||||
| Sunday | 0h 00m |
Week total
Hours by day
The dashed line marks 8 hours. Breaks are stacked on top so the bar height is the full time on site.
United Kingdom rules and figures
- Under the Working Time Regulations, workers cannot be made to average more than 48 hours a week, usually over 17 weeks, unless they opt out.
- The 48-hour limit has an exception for under-18s, who are limited to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.
- GOV.UK working-hours guidance gives limits only and sets no overtime rate, so overtime pay comes from the contract.
- UK law sets no standard working week. The 40 hours used as the target here is a default chosen for the tool.
Sources: GOV.UK: Maximum weekly working hours (checked 2026-11-08)
How the Work Hours Calculator works
Each day is the finish time minus the start time minus the unpaid break, counted in whole minutes. A finish earlier than the start is read as a shift ending the next day. With no overtime premium, every hour is paid at the base rate.
net minutes = (out − in, +24 h if out < in) − break; pay = net hours × hourly rate, unless you choose an overtime rule and multiplier
- The sheet begins as Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:30, with a 30-minute break each day, making 40 hours. Weekend rows are empty until you fill them in.
- The overtime rule starts on No overtime premium because GOV.UK gives limits on hours and no overtime rate. Choose a weekly or daily rule and enter the multiplier your contract states if it pays more.
- The target for the week opens at 40 hours. That is this tool's own default and not a legal figure, since UK law sets no standard working week.
- The 48-hour limit is an average, usually over 17 weeks, and the tool looks at one week at a time. A week above 48 hours is not by itself a breach.
- The currency symbol opens as £. Your timesheet and any changed settings are saved in your browser and reload next time.
How to use the Work Hours Calculator
- Fill in the week. Give each working day a start, a finish and an unpaid break. Switch a day off to leave it out.
- Set your hourly rate. Open the pay tab and type your hourly rate in pounds. The overtime rule is already set to no premium.
- Add an overtime rate if your contract has one. Pick a weekly rule, set the hours after which it starts and enter the multiplier from your contract.
- Compare with the hours you expect. Change the target to the hours in your contract and read how far the week is above or below it.
- Total a single shift. For a one-off night or odd shift, use the shift tab with its own times and break.
Example: Six 09:00 to 18:00 days at £15 an hour
Monday to Saturday, 09:00 to 18:00 with a 30-minute break, is 8.5 hours a day and 51 hours for the week. With no overtime premium, gross pay is 51 × £15 = £765.00, and the week is 11 hours above a 40-hour target. A single week over 48 hours is not a breach, because the limit averages hours over a reference period, usually 17 weeks. If a contract paid time and a half after 40 hours, the same week would be 40 × £15 plus 11 × £22.50, or £847.50.
When to use the Work Hours Calculator
- Checking a payslip against your hours. Enter the week as worked and compare the total with the hours your employer paid for.
- Watching your average hours. Fill in each week in turn and note how often a week passes 48 hours.
- Night shifts across midnight. Type the real clock times and the tool adds the day boundary for you.
- Pricing contract overtime. Choose a rule and enter the multiplier in your contract to see the extra pay.
What the Work Hours Calculator does not do
- Pay is gross, before income tax, National Insurance, pension or student loan deductions.
- It looks at one week at a time and cannot average hours over 17 weeks for you.
- Paid holiday, bank holiday pay, on-call time and rounding by an employer are not modelled.
- Whether overtime is paid, and at what rate, comes from your contract, which the tool cannot read.
- The single shift tab multiplies net hours by the base rate and applies no overtime.
- A break longer than its shift counts the paid time as zero and is flagged.
When something else is a better fit
- When you need take-home pay after tax and National Insurance, use the Payroll Calculator.
- When you only want to add up some durations, use the Time Duration Calculator.
- When your contract or a collective agreement sets overtime terms, use the written terms of that agreement.
Questions about the Work Hours Calculator
Does UK law require overtime pay?
Not through the working-hours rules. GOV.UK gives limits on hours and no overtime rate, so pay for extra hours is set by your contract. That is why the tool starts with no premium.
Is 51 hours in one week illegal?
Not necessarily. The 48-hour limit is an average, usually over 17 weeks, unless the worker has opted out, so one long week can sit inside it.
How do I enter a night shift?
Type the real times, such as 22:00 in and 06:00 out. A finish before the start is read as ending the next day.
Why does the target say 40 hours?
It is a starting figure for comparison. UK law sets no standard week, so change it to the hours in your contract.
Is my timesheet stored anywhere online?
No. It is saved in this browser on your device and reloaded on your next visit. Export a CSV if you want a copy elsewhere.