One in Eight Work 48 Hours a Week

Workers are putting in longer hours, reversing a 10-year trend of a cut in the working week, according to a new report.

The TUC said more than one in eight people now worked more than 48 hours a week, rising to one in six in London.

The union organisation said an analysis of official figures showed that 3.2 million people were now working more than 48 hours a week, over 13% of the workforce, up from 12.8% last year.

The figures show that a "hard core" of bad employers are taking no notice of the law or calls to give staff a better work-life balance, said the TUC.

The biggest increase in the number of people working a 48-hour week was in the South East and London, with 16% of staff in the capital now working long hours, the study found.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "These are very disturbing numbers. They suggest that the slow, but at least steady, decline in those working more than 48 hours a week has come to an end.” She also said:

"Many employers recognise that overworked staff are unproductive by introducing more flexibility and better work-life balance, often under union pressure.”

"But it now looks as if their efforts are being undone by those who don't care about long hours. No-one should forget that 48 hours is six eight-hour days - more than enough for anyone every week.”

"There is undoubted abuse of the law, but employers know they can get away with it because it is rarely enforced. Neither the Health and Safety Executive nor local authorities who share responsibility for enforcement have the resources to implement the law."

Further information on the requirements of the Working Time Regulations can be found at
HSE (Health & Safety Executive)
BERR (Department of Business Enterprise & Regularatory Reform