Night work rules and night shift pay in the UK and Ireland

Who is a night worker?

Someone who occasionally works a late shift isn't automatically a night worker. Someone on a regular night rota – security, cleaning, care, logistics, hospitality closing shifts – usually is. That's why the record must show when the hours were worked, not just how many.

Hour limits for night workers

Some sectors, such as security work requiring a permanent presence, can depart from the night work limits under special-case rules, with compensatory rest – see security guard time tracking.

Employer duties

• Free health assessment before someone starts night work and at regular intervals afterwards (UK and Ireland).
• Transfer to day work where possible if a doctor advises that night work is harming the worker's health.
• Risk assessment of night work involving special hazards (Ireland expressly requires identifying and assessing them).
• Records: in the UK, regulation 9 requires records adequate to show the night work limits are respected and that health assessments were offered, kept for 2 years. In Ireland, working time records are kept for 3 years.
• Rest: 11 consecutive hours of daily rest and weekly rest still apply.

Who can't work at night

• Young workers (under 18): in the UK they generally can't work during the restricted night period (normally 10 pm–6 am, or 11 pm–7 am where the contract requires work after 10 pm), with limited exceptions, for example in hospitals or hospitality where supervised. In Ireland, under-18s are generally not allowed to do night work.
• New and expectant mothers: in Ireland, a worker can be exempt from night work with a medical certificate during pregnancy and for up to 14 weeks after birth, with health and safety leave if no day work is available. In the UK, where a doctor certifies that night work is a risk, the employer must offer suitable day work or, if none is available, suspend on full pay.

Do night shifts have to be paid more?

No statutory night premium exists in the UK or Ireland. A night allowance, "time and a third" or similar is set by the contract, a collective agreement or – in Ireland – a sector order where one applies. What the law does require:

• Minimum wage: average pay across all hours worked in the pay reference period, including nights, must not fall below the minimum wage.
• Holiday pay (UK): for the first 4 weeks of leave, normal pay includes regular overtime and similar regular payments, which can include regular night allowances – check with your payroll adviser.
• Sleepover shifts (Ireland, residential care): workers are entitled to at least the minimum wage.

Example: calculating a contractual night premium

A contract pays a 25% night premium on a basic rate of €16.00 an hour for hours between midnight and 7 am. An employee works 40 such hours in the month: 40 × 16.00 × 0.25 = €160.00 gross on top of basic pay. If the contract pays time and a third instead: 40 × 16.00 × 1/3 = €213.33 extra. For overtime sums, see how to calculate overtime pay.

What your time records should show for night work

1. Actual start and end times, so you can work out how many hours fall in night time.
2. Night hours in a separate column, for any contractual premium and to monitor the 8-hour average.
3. Breaks and the rest between shifts (11 hours).
4. Who is a night worker, and when their health assessment was offered.
5. Weekly totals against the 48-hour average.

QRtimetrack records real clock-in and clock-out times – by QR code, GPS zone or entrance tablet – and shows night, weekend and overtime hours separately in Excel, CSV or PDF exports. Overtime at the end of a night shift is only counted when the employee confirms it with a QR scan and photo. Pricing: €1.99 per active employee per month, minimum €9.95/month, excl. VAT; 7-day free trial, no card.

Track night hours automatically – free for 7 days

Frequently asked questions