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Workers' rights to rest breaks at work - length of breaks, how your age affects rest breaks, exceptions to the rules for shift workers, young people, and drivers.

• Overview

  Workers over 18 are usually entitled to 3 types of break: rest breaks at…

• Taking breaks

  Employers can say when employees take rest breaks during work time as long…

• Compensatory rest

  Workers may be entitled to ‘compensatory rest’ if they do not have the…

• Exceptions

  Workers are not entitled to the 3 general types of rest break if they work…

• Young workers

  Young workers (above school leaving age and under 18) are usually entitled…

• Disputes

  Workers who cannot take or are not allowed rest breaks should speak to…

Minimum wage rates for different types of paid employment - time work, output work, unmeasured work, salaried hours work.

• Overview

  The National Minimum Wage is worked out at an hourly rate, but it applies…

• Paid by the hour

  Workers paid according to the number of hours they are at work are classed…

• Paid an annual salary

  Most people paid an annual salary are classed as doing ‘salaried hours…

• Paid per task or piece of work done

  Workers paid per task they perform or piece of work they do (known as…

• Paid in other ways (unmeasured work)

  If the work is not covered by any of the other types of work, it’s…

Overtime law - what is overtime, overtime pay, employee rights, part-time workers and time off in lieu

• Overview

  If you have normal working hours, overtime usually means any time you work…

• Compulsory overtime

  You only have to work overtime if your contract says so. Even if it does,…

• Part-time workers

  Usually, part-time workers must not be treated less favourably than…

• Time off and paid leave

  Time off in lieu (TOIL) Some employers give you time off instead of paying…

The rules on working hours - hour and limits, rests, health assessments and terms and conditions

Working time directive and maximum weekly working hours including how to calculate your weekly working hours and working time limits if you're a young worker.

Lays-offs and short-time working - pay, rights, temporary lay-off, redundancy, taking on extra work, claiming Jobseeker's Allowance, short-time regulations and payments

Your rights to request time off for training or study while in a job

Employment Appeal Tribunal Judgment of Judge Auerbach on 6 February 2026.

• Updated: 6 February 2026

Disabled people are set to benefit from the expertise of some of the world's tech giants to help make the workplace more accessible to them.

• Updated: 3 February 2026

The rights of agricultural and farm workers - including pay rates, agricultural minimum wage, overtime, holiday leave, rest breaks, help and advice