Data verified against official UK government sources. Last checked April 2026.
Plan and calculate shift patterns, weekly hours, overtime, and rota costs for UK businesses. Compliant with Working Time Regulations 1998.
Weekly hours should not exceed 48 hours average (Working Time Regulations opt-out required for more)This calculator handles date and time computations using the standard Gregorian calendar. Date calculations must account for varying month lengths (28-31 days), leap years (every 4 years, except centuries not divisible by 400), and UK-specific considerations like bank holidays and working day calculations.
In the UK, date formats follow the day/month/year convention (DD/MM/YYYY), which differs from the American month/day/year format. This tool uses the UK format throughout to avoid confusion.
The UK has 8 permanent bank holidays in England and Wales (9 in Scotland, 10 in Northern Ireland). A standard UK working year is typically 252 days (365 minus 104 weekend days minus 8 bank holidays, plus 1 day adjustment). The minimum statutory annual leave entitlement is 28 days (5.6 weeks) for full-time employees, which can include bank holidays at the employer's discretion.
Calculating working days between 1 January 2026 and 31 March 2026: there are 90 calendar days, minus 26 weekend days and 2 bank holidays (New Year's Day and Good Friday), giving 62 working days. This is useful for project planning, notice periods, and leave calculations.
Source: Based on UK calendar and bank holiday data. Last updated March 2026.
The Working Time Regulations 1998 give shift workers the right to: maximum 48 average weekly hours, minimum 11 hours rest between shifts, and 1 day off per week.
Shift workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks holiday per year. For irregular shifts, calculate based on average hours worked over 12 weeks.
Night shift workers (between 11pm-6am) are entitled to a free health assessment. Many employers pay a 15-25% night shift premium. Minimum wage still applies.
Overtime is calculated on hours beyond contractual hours. UK law requires at least minimum wage for all hours worked, but premium rates are set by employment contracts.