Shift Work Pay Calculator UK
The complexities of shift work, with its varied rates for nights, weekends, and overtime, can make understanding your pay challenging. While UK employment rules and employer policies vary, this calculator is designed to provide a clear estimate of your real-world take-home pay, factoring in all those important premiums.
Annual Take-Home Pay
£21,322
| Monthly | £1,776.80 |
| Weekly | £410.03 |
Gross Annual Pay:
£31,200.00
Income Tax:
£6,828.00
National Insurance:
£1,490.40
Your Pension:
£1,560.00
How Does the Shift Work Pay Calculator Work?
Our tool simplifies your pay calculation by breaking it down into components. It calculates your pay for regular hours, then individually calculates earnings from overtime, night shifts, and weekend work based on the rates you provide. It sums these up to get your total gross pay before applying standard UK deductions for Income Tax, National Insurance, pension, and student loans for the 2025/26 tax year.
Night Shift Rules in the UK
While there's no legal mandate for extra pay, working nights comes with specific regulations to protect workers. Adults must not work more than an average of 8 hours in a 24-hour period. They are also entitled to free health assessments. It's crucial to check your contract for the specific premium your employer offers for night shifts.
Overtime and Premium Pay
Overtime pay is also not a legal right and depends on your contract. 'Contractual overtime' means your employer can require you to work extra hours and your contract will define the pay rate. 'Voluntary overtime' is optional. Our overtime calculator can help you work out the gross pay. Enhanced pay rates like "time-and-a-half" (1.5x your base rate) are common but not legally required unless specified in your contract.
Weekend & Bank Holiday Pay
Similar to other premiums, extra pay for weekends or bank holidays is determined by your employer's policy. Many employers offer "double time" (2x your base rate) for work on bank holidays, but this is a contractual benefit, not a legal requirement. Always refer to your employment contract to understand your entitlements.
Work Pattern Comparison Example
| Metric | Standard Hours (40h/week at £15/hr) | Shift Worker (36h + premiums) |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Gross Pay | £600.00 | £690.00 |
| Annual Gross Pay | £31,200 | £35,880 |
| Estimated Annual Take-Home | £25,142 | £28,527 |
Example assumes 5% pension, Plan 2 student loan. Use the calculator for an exact figure.