--- title: "UK work hours calculator with 48-hour average check | AumnI tools" description: "Total a week of clock times in hours and pounds, with no statutory overtime premium assumed and a target to compare against the 48-hour average limit." url: https://aumnitools.com/uk/tool/work-hours-calculator category: "Lifestyle" country: "United Kingdom" updated: 2026-11-08 --- # Work Hours Calculator 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. ## 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](https://www.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. Formula: `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 1. **Fill in the week.** Give each working day a start, a finish and an unpaid break. Switch a day off to leave it out. 2. **Set your hourly rate.** Open the pay tab and type your hourly rate in pounds. The overtime rule is already set to no premium. 3. **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. 4. **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. 5. **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](https://aumnitools.com/tool/payroll-calculator.md). - **When you only want to add up some durations**, use the [Time Duration Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/time-duration-calculator.md). - **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. ## Related tools - [Payroll Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/payroll-calculator.md): Estimates US net pay per paycheck and employer cost from salary or hourly pay for 2026 - [Time Duration Calculator](https://aumnitools.com/tool/time-duration-calculator.md): Gaps between dates and times, working days, date shifts and hh:mm duration totals - [Budget Planner](https://aumnitools.com/tool/budget-planner.md): Plans monthly income and expenses by category, with a health score and debt payoff ## About this page Runs in your browser: what you enter is processed on this device and is not uploaded. Last checked against the tool's code on 2026-11-08. Interactive version: https://aumnitools.com/uk/tool/work-hours-calculator