Millions of workers across the UK are regularly putting in extra hours without pay, losing thousands of pounds a year in the process.
The total value of unpaid overtime reached £28.5 billion in 2025, according to analysis published to mark Work Your Proper Hours Day. The figures suggest a substantial amount of labour continues to go uncompensated despite growing concerns about workplace stress and excessive workloads.
The analysis was published by the Trades Union Congress, the national trade union federation representing more than five million workers through 47 member unions.
Millions regularly working unpaid hours
According to the TUC, around 3.5 million workers in the UK regularly do unpaid overtime. This represents about 11.9 percent of the workforce, close to one in eight employees.
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Those who work unpaid overtime lose an average of 6.8 hours of their own time each week, effectively working nearly a full extra day without pay. Over the course of a year, it results in an average financial loss of about £8,100 for each worker.
The TUC said the overall value of unpaid overtime fell slightly from the previous year. In 2024, the total value of unpaid overtime carried out by workers across the UK was estimated at close to £31 billion.
Employment Rights Act to strengthen protections
Union leaders said new legislation could help workers challenge pressure to work unpaid hours.
Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said most workers are willing to help when needed but should not be expected to do so without pay. “Most workers don’t mind putting in extra hours from time to time, but they should be paid for it,” he said. “Yet last year UK workers were denied £28 billion in unpaid overtime.”
He said unpaid overtime harms both workers and employers by damaging wellbeing and productivity. “This benefits no one – workers forced into unpaid overtime lose out on pay, but are also more likely to face stress and ill health, reducing productivity and performance,” he said.
Nowak said some employers take advantage of workers’ willingness to go the extra mile. “There’s no doubt about it that some bad employers exploit workers’ commitment and graft,” he said. “That’s why the Employment Rights Act is so important – it will make it easier for people to come together in a union and challenge unfair practices, including being pressured to work overtime for free.”
The Employment Rights Act, which received Royal Assent last December, includes several measures designed to strengthen collective bargaining. They include requiring employers to inform staff of their right to join a union, improving union access to workplaces and introducing a simpler process for statutory union recognition.
Work Your Proper Hours Day
The figures were released to coincide with the 22nd annual Work Your Proper Hours Day on February 27. The initiative encourages workers to take the breaks they are entitled to and finish work on time, while urging managers to set realistic workloads and put policies in place to prevent burnout.
Union representatives say the issue is closely linked to rising workplace stress. In a recent survey of union representatives, nearly eight in ten said stress was one of the main concerns raised by employees.
Nowak said the campaign aims to remind both workers and employers that healthy working patterns benefit everyone. “We are encouraging every worker to take their lunchbreak and finish on time today. And we know that good employers will support them doing that,” he said.
The analysis is based on Labour Force Survey data examining the amount of unpaid overtime carried out by employees and the proportion of working hours that go unpaid among those regularly performing extra hours.
