Rest breaks

Rest means being free from work

Rest breaks include time during the working day, daily rest between shifts and weekly rest. For most adult workers in Great Britain, the statutory pattern includes one uninterrupted 20-minute break when working more than six hours, 11 hours' daily rest and either 24 hours each week or 48 hours each fortnight.

A break only works as rest when the worker can step away from their duties. Telling someone to eat at their desk while answering calls is not the same as giving an uninterrupted break. The GOV.UK rest-break guide sets out the basic conditions and exceptions.

Whether an in-shift break is paid depends on the contract. Payment and entitlement are separate questions, so record both clearly.

Put breaks inside the working pattern

Plan the rota so breaks can actually be taken, including when demand is highest. Name who provides cover, where the worker can go and what happens if an emergency interrupts the break. A policy that promises rest but leaves one person continuously responsible is not enough.

Young workers have longer minimum rest and an earlier trigger for a break. Night work, split shifts and round-the-clock services can also need separate treatment. Check the person's category before copying the standard adult pattern.

Deal with a missed break at the time

If a break is missed, record why and decide immediately whether the law requires equivalent compensatory rest. Do not let missed breaks accumulate as an informal balance or assume extra pay cures the loss of rest.

Repeated interruptions usually indicate a staffing, workload or rota problem. Review the risk and the working pattern rather than treating each missed break as an isolated exception.