Free tool

Rest break entitlement checker

Set a shift length to see the in-shift rest break, plus the daily and weekly rest, that staff are entitled to under the Working Time Regulations.

Shift length: 8h

In-shift rest break

20-minute rest break

One uninterrupted break, away from the workstation (need not be paid).

Daily rest

11 hours between working days

Weekly rest

24 hours (or 48 hours per fortnight)

Build compliant rotas with WagePilot

Based on the Working Time Regulations 1998 (GOV.UK). Statutory minimums only — many contracts give longer or paid breaks, and some sectors have special rules. Not legal advice. WagePilot’s rota builder flags shifts that run long without a break.

Rest breaks under the Working Time Regulations

The Working Time Regulations 1998 give three kinds of rest. An in-shift rest break of at least 20 minutes once an adult works more than 6 hours; daily rest of 11 uninterrupted hours between working days; and weekly rest of 24 hours each week (or 48 hours a fortnight). Workers under 18 get more: a 30-minute break after 4.5 hours, 12 hours’ daily rest and 48 hours off a week.

The break does not have to be paid and should be a genuine break away from the workstation, not bolted onto the start or end of the shift. Certain sectors — security, care, transport — have special arrangements, and “compensatory rest” rules can apply where a break is interrupted.

The practical risk for a busy rota is scheduling a 9-hour shift with no break, or rostering a late finish and an early start that breaks the 11-hour gap. WagePilot’s rota builder flags long shifts without a break and clashes that breach daily rest, so the rules are checked as you build, not after a complaint.

Rest break questions

How long a break am I entitled to on a shift?

Under the Working Time Regulations, an adult worker (18 or over) is entitled to a 20-minute uninterrupted rest break when a shift is longer than 6 hours. Young workers under 18 are entitled to a 30-minute break when working more than 4.5 hours. These are statutory minimums — many contracts give more.

Do employers have to pay for rest breaks?

Not by law. The statutory 20-minute rest break does not have to be paid — whether breaks are paid is set by your contract. The break should be a genuine break away from the workstation, not taken at the start or end of the shift.

What rest am I entitled to between shifts and each week?

Adults are entitled to 11 hours of uninterrupted rest between working days, and either 24 hours off each week or 48 hours off each fortnight. Young workers under 18 get 12 hours’ daily rest and 48 hours (2 days) a week. Some sectors, like security and care, have special variations.

How do I make sure rotas respect break rules?

The trap is long shifts scheduled with no break, or back-to-back shifts that breach the 11-hour daily rest. WagePilot’s rota builder flags shifts that run long without a break and clashes that would break the rules, so compliance is built into scheduling rather than checked after the fact.

Build rotas that respect the rules

WagePilot warns you about long shifts without a break and rest-gap clashes as you schedule. From £10 a month per site — staff always free.

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