Travel time for work

The ordinary commute is only the starting point

Travel from home to a fixed workplace and back is usually an ordinary commute. Travel that forms part of the job, such as moving between clients, sites or assignments during the day, is different and can count as working time.

Workers without a fixed or habitual workplace need particular care. Their journeys from home to the first customer and from the last customer home can count for working-time limits. The GOV.UK working-hours guide includes that distinction.

Working time and minimum wage do not use one test

A journey can count towards working-time limits without creating minimum-wage entitlement for the same period. Under minimum-wage guidance, ordinary home-to-work travel is generally excluded, including some journeys from home to an assignment. Travel between work assignments, or travel required to carry out work, can count.

The official minimum-wage guidance on business travel also covers waiting for transport and travelling between clients. Contractual pay and expenses are separate again, so an employer may agree to pay or reimburse travel beyond the statutory minimum.

Keep the journey attached to its purpose

Record the date, start and finish, origin, destination and work reason for journeys that may count. Note whether the worker has a fixed workplace, whether travel happens between assignments and whether work is performed while travelling.

Set a clear expenses process, but do not treat mileage reimbursement as payment for time. Review routes and scheduling when unpaid gaps, long days or first-and-last journeys become routine. Northern Ireland employers should use the NI working-time calculation for the role.