Overtime pay calculator

Work out overtime at time and a half, double time or any rate your contracts use — with basic pay, overtime pay and total gross for the week.

Your figures

Hourly rate (£)Contracted hours per weekHours actually workedOvertime rate

Weekly pay

Basic hours: 37.50 hrs
Basic pay: £476.63
Overtime hours: 8.50 hrs
Overtime rate: £19.07/hr
Overtime pay: £162.05
Total gross pay: £638.68
Average rate across all hours: £13.88/hr

Figures are gross, before tax, National Insurance and pension. Employer on-costs are separate — estimate those with the rota cost calculator.

How UK overtime pay works

Overtime pay is contractual, not statutory. Time and a half is common in hospitality and retail, but you can pay plain time for extra hours as long as average pay across every hour worked stays at or above the National Minimum Wage for that worker's age. Where staff regularly work overtime, that overtime has to be reflected in holiday pay for the first four weeks of statutory leave.

Persistent overtime is usually a rota problem rather than a demand problem. Check your weekly hours before publishing with the working time calculator and spread cover with the shift pattern generator.

Overtime questions

How do you calculate overtime pay?

Take the hours worked above the contracted weekly hours, multiply them by the hourly rate, then multiply by the overtime rate agreed in the contract — for example 1.5 for time and a half. Add that to basic pay for the week to get gross pay.

Is overtime pay a legal requirement in the UK?

There is no legal right to a higher overtime rate in the UK. Pay for extra hours is whatever the employment contract says, but average pay across all hours worked must not fall below the National Minimum Wage for the worker’s age band.

Does overtime count towards holiday pay?

Regular overtime must be included when calculating holiday pay for the first 4 weeks of statutory leave, normally using average pay over the previous 52 paid weeks. Genuinely occasional, one-off overtime can be excluded.

Can staff work more than 48 hours a week?

Average working time is limited to 48 hours a week over a 17-week reference period unless the worker has signed an individual opt-out. Under-18s cannot opt out and are limited to 40 hours a week.