In the UK, what is the legal maximum number of hours you must take off between shifts?

ratbag

I don't thing there's a maximum, but according to the EU working time directive you should not work more than 48hrs in one week (averaged out over 20 weeks or something like that), unless you proactively opt out of this. In the NHS (agenda for change and all that rubbish), you are not supposed to work more than a 13 hr continuous shift and there should be a minimum 11 hour break between ending one shift and starting another. You should also get a period of continuous uninterrupted time off work (I think it's about 56 or 72hrs) every so often, but I can't remember how ofthen this should be, sorry.

claireg_uk

The Working Time Directive states you must have 11 hours break between each shift

kiku

It depends how your job is classified. Heavy manual work is 12 hours between shift.

But it can be as low as 8 hours!

Driving is complicated and depends on the tachograph!

Ridiculous isn't it! And they say that sweat shops don't exist in the west!

Do you know what revolving shifts are for? To prevent you taking up a second job!!!!

Vista D

Do you mean minimum number of hours between shifts?

There are a lot of conflicting answers here. Anyway, the correct is 8 hours.

I believe it is 8 hours.

homemanager22

the minimum is 7 hours

John

You are legally in titled to a minimum of 11 hours in any 24 hour period between one shift finishing and another starting, and 24 hours rest period in any 7 days, this can be extended to 48 hours over 14 days, the 24/48 hours is in addition to the 11hours, the 48 hour working week is worked out over a reference period the starting point being 17 weeks, it would be very unlikely that any 2 employees would be on the same start date for the ref period as many things are added in to the calculation, sick, annual leave, rest days,P/H etc, there is an op tout for the UK, later this year a loop hole that has been exploited by employers will be closed, raising the leave entitlement from 20 days to 30 days, this will benefit up to 2 million employees in the UK

tish the bi@ch

there are a few places like hospitals and hotels where they do not apply a legal limit, however the legal limit in most places is 11 hours as you require time to travel and 8 hours for sleep

luddite

It is eleven hours.

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