Shift pay

Pay Time Calculator UK

Pay time calculators are most useful when you need to turn real shift patterns into gross pay without doing the arithmetic by hand. This page calculates paid hours from start time, end time and unpaid break, then converts them into shift pay and weekly pay.

It is aimed at employees checking rota pay, supervisors pricing cover and small businesses making quick payroll sense-checks.

2025/26 ratesUpdated 2026-03-06Calculator-first guide

Turn hours worked into pay

Enter your start time, finish time, unpaid break, hourly rate and number of shifts per week.

Pay estimate

Paid hours per shift
Weekly gross pay
Approx. annualised gross
Average daily pay

How this calculator works

The calculator converts the shift into paid hours by subtracting the unpaid break from the full time between start and finish. It then multiplies those hours by the hourly rate and the number of shifts you work per week.

That makes it a practical tool for rota checking, shift-cover planning and simple payroll review when you want to sense-check whether the gross pay line looks right.

Worked example

A 9:00 to 17:30 shift with a 30-minute unpaid break produces 8 paid hours, not 8.5. At £15.50 an hour, the daily gross pay is £124.

Multiply that by five similar shifts and the weekly gross becomes a number you can check against a timesheet or rota forecast.

2025/26 rates, thresholds, and inputs

The page focuses on gross pay from hours worked. If you need net pay after deductions, take the annualised gross result into a pay-check or salary calculator.

InputUse
Start and finish timeSets the gross shift length
Unpaid breakRemoves non-paid time
Hourly rateConverts time into gross pay
Shifts per weekProduces a weekly cost or pay estimate

Edge cases and assumptions

This tool is excellent for first-pass shift checks, but if your workplace has overtime bands or premium weekend rates, combine it with your rota rules before treating it as the final payroll figure.

FAQs

Can this calculator handle overnight shifts?

Yes. If the end time is earlier than the start time, the tool treats the shift as crossing midnight.

Does it calculate overtime?

Not directly. It calculates core gross pay from hours, rate and breaks.

Is the result gross or net pay?

Gross pay. Use a pay-check or salary calculator for deductions.

Sources and methodology

This page uses time-worked arithmetic rather than tax rules. It is intended for gross-pay checking from actual shift hours.

The annualised figure is only a quick planning aid and assumes the weekly pattern repeats consistently.

Methodology: worked hours after unpaid breaks multiplied by hourly rate and shift frequency.
MB
Reviewed by Mustafa Bilgic

Mustafa reviews wage and time-to-pay tools with a focus on rota checking, payroll sense-checking and clear shift arithmetic.

Last updated 2026-03-06. Use the result as a planning tool and compare it with official sources, contracts, payslips or payroll software before making decisions.