Why is there no calculator on this page?

Because there is nothing statutory to calculate. United Kingdom sets no overtime rate in law, so any figure a calculator produced would be invented. The rate that applies to you is in your contract, your staff handbook or a collective agreement, and that is the number to use.

What should I check instead?

The document that creates the right: your contract or the collective agreement. Read what it says overtime is paid at, whether there is a threshold before it starts, and whether it can be taken as time off instead. If it says nothing, overtime is paid at your ordinary rate unless you negotiate otherwise.

Do the premiums stack on top of each other?

It depends on the country, and this is where people go wrong. The Philippines multiplies them, so overtime on a public holiday is 260%, not 225%. Colombia says expressly that surcharges apply on their own and never accumulate. Read the note for your country.

Can my employer make me work overtime?

Usually only within the limits shown above, and in some countries only with your written consent. The caps are legal limits on hours, not targets. Exceeding them is a breach even where the extra hours are paid correctly.

Is Overtime Pay Required in the United Kingdom?

There is no statutory overtime rate in the United Kingdom. Here is what the law actually says, and what does apply instead.

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Updated for 2026
Last reviewed September 2026

What applies instead

Limit: 48 hours averaged over 17 weeks, which an individual may opt out of.
Set by Working Time Regulations 1998, SI 1998/1833, regs 4, 6.

Worth knowing

The 48-hour limit is a health and safety ceiling, not a pay trigger. Two rules do bite: average pay across all hours worked must still clear the minimum wage, and settled regular overtime counts towards holiday pay.

Questions people ask

Why is there no calculator on this page?: Because there is nothing statutory to calculate. United Kingdom sets no overtime rate in law, so any figure a calculator produced would be invented. The rate that applies to you is in your contract, your staff handbook or a collective agreement, and that is the number to use.
What should I check instead?: The document that creates the right: your contract or the collective agreement. Read what it says overtime is paid at, whether there is a threshold before it starts, and whether it can be taken as time off instead. If it says nothing, overtime is paid at your ordinary rate unless you negotiate otherwise.
Do the premiums stack on top of each other?: It depends on the country, and this is where people go wrong. The Philippines multiplies them, so overtime on a public holiday is 260%, not 225%. Colombia says expressly that surcharges apply on their own and never accumulate. Read the note for your country.
Can my employer make me work overtime?: Usually only within the limits shown above, and in some countries only with your written consent. The caps are legal limits on hours, not targets. Exceeding them is a breach even where the extra hours are paid correctly.

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