Full-time employees in the UK worked an average of 36.7 hours per week in Q4 2025, the highest quarterly figure since Q3 2019, based on Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey data published February 17, 2026. This post breaks down UK working hours by quarter, industry, gender, and pay, using ONS figures and related labour-market data.
Average Working Hours in the UK – TL;DR
UK working hours have settled into a 36.5–36.9 hour band for full-time staff, well above the all-worker figure that part-time roles pull down. Here are the headline numbers.
- Full-time average: 36.7 hours per week in Q4 2025, per ONS via Statista.
- All employees including part-time: 31.8 hours per week in January 2026, per Trading Economics citing ONS.
- Agriculture logs the longest week at 42.2 hours; accommodation and food the shortest at 34.8.
- 14.2% of employed people worked over 45 hours per week in Q4 2025.
- Average weekly pay reached £742 in January 2026, up 3.9% year on year.
The average working hours in the UK depend on which group you count. For full-time staff the figure is 36.7 hours; across all employees, including the roughly 30% in part-time roles, it drops to 31.8 hours. Long hours make ergonomics matter, which is why many remote workers invest in desk setup ideas backed by real makers.
What Is the Average Working Week in the UK?
Three ONS metrics produce three correct headline numbers because each counts a different population. Full-time-only data sits near 37 hours, while figures that fold in part-time workers run lower.
| Metric | Average Weekly Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time workers only (Q4 2025) | 36.7 hours | ONS via Statista |
| All workers, annualised LFS (2026) | 37 hours | IBISWorld citing ONS |
| All employees incl. part-time, seasonally adjusted (Jan 2026) | 31.8 hours | Trading Economics citing ONS |
Source: Office for National Statistics, IBISWorld, Trading Economics
Part-time workers average about 16 hours per week. With 8.787 million part-timers against 25.523 million full-time employees in January 2026, part-time staff make up roughly 25.6% of those in work.
Average Working Hours in UK: Quarterly Full-Time Trend
Full-time hours moved within a narrow 0.4-hour range across 2024 and 2025. Q4 2025 closed at 36.7 hours, matched only by Q3 2024 as the peak of the period.
| Quarter | Full-Time Weekly Hours | Change vs Prior Quarter |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2024 | 36.6 | — |
| Q2 2024 | 36.6 | 0.0 |
| Q3 2024 | 36.9 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2024 | 36.5 | −0.4 |
| Q1 2025 | 36.5 | 0.0 |
| Q2 2025 | 36.6 | +0.1 |
| Q3 2025 | 36.5 | −0.1 |
| Q4 2025 | 36.7 | +0.2 |
Source: Office for National Statistics via Statista, February 17, 2026
Q3 2024’s 36.9 hours matches the pre-pandemic Q4 2019 reading. The pandemic low was 30.4 hours in Q2 2020.
Average Working Hours in UK by Industry
Agriculture works the longest week of any sector at 42.2 hours, about 5.5 hours above the full-time average. Accommodation and food sits lowest among full-hour sectors at 34.8 hours, reflecting split-shift and zero-hours arrangements.
| Industry / Worker Type | Average Weekly Hours |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 42.2 |
| Nursing and healthcare | 37.5 |
| Professional, scientific and technical | 37.2 |
| Accommodation and food services | 34.8 |
| Education (term-time effect) | 25.9 |
| Part-time workers (all) | 16.0 |
Source: ONS via Clockify and LeaveWizard; StandOut CV citing ONS
Overtime adds to this picture. Workers who do overtime average 4.2 extra hours per week, with healthcare, manufacturing, construction, and finance among the highest. Sustained long hours are part of why standing desk usage data keeps rising and why people fine-tune where they place a desk at home.
Average Working Hours in UK by Gender and Pay
Men outwork women on full-time hours by 3.7 hours per week. The gap shows in the 31–45 hour bracket, where 65.5% of men sit versus 54.1% of women, a difference driven by the female-skewed part-time workforce.
| Metric | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Men in 31–45 hours bracket | 65.5% | Q2 2025 |
| Women in 31–45 hours bracket | 54.1% | Q2 2025 |
| Gender hours gap (full-time) | Men +3.7 hrs/week | 2025 |
| Male total weekly hours | 617.5 million | Q3 2025 |
| Female total weekly hours | 468.7 million | Q3 2025 |
| Average weekly total pay | £742 | Jan 2026 |
| Finance and insurance, median hourly pay | £30.52 | 2025 |
| Accommodation and food, median hourly pay | £14.04 | 2025 |
Source: ONS via Statista; ONS ASHE 2025; Trading Economics citing ONS
Average pay of £742 against 31.8 all-worker hours implies about £23.33 per hour. Finance pay of £30.52 per hour is 2.17 times the £14.04 in accommodation and food. Remote staff working these hours often weigh up essential work-from-home gear against comfort.
Average Working Hours in UK: Key Figures at a Glance
The numbers below sum up UK working hours, pay, and employment for 2025–2026.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Full-time average (Q4 2025) | 36.7 hours/week |
| All employees incl. part-time (Jan 2026) | 31.8 hours/week |
| 31–45 hours bracket (Q4 2025) | 59.7% of employed people |
| Over 45 hours (Q4 2025) | 14.2% of employed people |
| Part-time share of workforce | ~30% |
| UK vs Netherlands | UK works 6.1 hrs/week more |
| Legal weekly limit (Working Time Regulations 1998) | 48 hours, 17-week average |
| Employment rate (Jan 2026) | 75.1% |
Source: ONS via Statista; Trading Economics citing ONS; StandOut CV citing OECD/ILO
UK workers log 6.1 hours more per week than the Netherlands while earning a lower hourly average, a longer-hours, lower-productivity pattern. Many fixing that at home start with a minimalist productivity space.
FAQ
What is the average working week in the UK?
Full-time employees averaged 36.7 hours per week in Q4 2025. Across all employees including part-time workers, the figure was 31.8 hours in January 2026, based on ONS Labour Force Survey data.
Which UK industry works the longest hours?
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, at 42.2 hours per week in ONS Q4 2024 data. That is about 5.5 hours above the full-time national average and roughly 15% more working time than a typical full-time worker.
How many people in the UK work over 45 hours a week?
14.2% of employed people worked more than 45 hours per week in Q4 2025, per ONS data via Statista. Another 59.7% fell in the 31–45 hour bracket.
What is the legal maximum working week in the UK?
48 hours, averaged over a 17-week rolling period, under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Workers can opt out in writing if they choose to work longer.
How does the UK compare with the Netherlands?
UK workers average 6.1 hours more per week than the Netherlands, which records 31.6 hours, based on OECD and ILO 2024 data. The UK pairs longer hours with lower productivity per hour.
Sources
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/average-weekly-hours
