date: 6 January 2009
embargo: 00.01hrs Thursday 8 January 2009
More than five million people are working unpaid overtime in the UK
More than five million people worked unpaid overtime in 2008, bringing its total value across the UK to a record £26.9 billion, according to an analysis of official statistics published by the TUC today (Thursday).
The TUC has calculated that 5.24 million people across the UK worked unpaid overtime in 2008 - the highest number since records began in 1992. The previous record was five million in 2001.
Employees who work unpaid would receive an extra £5,139 a year if they were paid for the additional hours they are putting in. The average amount of unpaid overtime is seven hours and six minutes - the same amount as last year.
The biggest increases in unpaid overtime have taken place in London (+79,000), the East Midlands (+61,000) and Eastern England (+53,000). The number of people working unpaid overtime fell in the South East (-26,000) and Scotland (-11,000).
The TUC has calculated that if everyone who works unpaid overtime did all their unpaid work at the start of the year, the first day they would get paid would be Friday 27 February. The TUC traditionally declares this 'Work Your Proper Hours Day' and makes a light-hearted call for staff to work their proper hours for at least one day a year and for employers to thank their staff for regularly putting in the extra hours at work.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'After years of progress, the numbers doing unpaid overtime has increased for the second year in a row. This is disappointing.
'But while some of this is due to the longs-hours culture that still dogs too many British workplaces, the recession will now be making many people scared of losing their job in the year ahead and joining the ever-growing dole-queue.
'Inevitably people will be putting in extra hours if they think it can help protect against redundancy or keep their employer in business.
'This is not the year therefore for our usual light-hearted 'Work Your Proper Hours Day'. But this does not mean people should ignore excessive working. Friday 27 February should still be used to think through working hours. Long hours are bad for people's health, and employers should never forget that each extra hour worked makes people less productive once they are over a sensible working week.
'The recession should instead provide a spur to make workplaces more productive, and for managers to get staff to work together, not compete for who can stay the latest.'
NOTES TO EDITORS:
|
Region |
Number of people who do unpaid overtime 2008 (000s) |
Change since last year (000s of employees) |
Annual value of unpaid overtime per person 2008 |
Real change in value per person since last year* |
Total value of unpaid overtime (millions) |
Usual hours of unpaid overtime |
|
North East |
174 |
- |
£3,836 |
-£528 |
£667 |
6 hours 12 minutes |
|
North West and Merseyside |
466 |
- |
£4,484 |
-£314 |
£2,089 |
6 hours 42 minutes |
|
Yorkshire & Humberside |
398 |
+17 |
£4,252 |
+£201 |
£1,692 |
6 hours 36 minutes |
|
East Midlands |
382 |
+61 |
£4,756 |
+£565 |
£1,817 |
7 hours 18 minutes |
|
West Midlands |
431 |
+23 |
£4,674 |
+£175 |
£2.014 |
7 hours 6 minutes |
|
Eastern |
538 |
+53 |
£5,051 |
+£235 |
£2,717 |
7 hours 12 minutes |
|
London |
820 |
+79 |
£7,854 |
+£253 |
£6,440 |
7 hours 54 minutes |
|
South East |
864 |
-26 |
£5,303 |
+£50 |
£4,582 |
7 hours |
|
South West |
442 |
- |
£4,323 |
+£86 |
£1,911 |
6 hours 30 minutes |
|
Wales |
204 |
+33 |
£4,668 |
+£205 |
£952 |
7 hours 28 minutes |
|
Scotland |
425 |
-11 |
£4,747 |
+£218 |
£2,017 |
7 hours |
|
Total |
5,235 |
+267 |
£5,139 |
+£174 |
£26,903 |
7 hours 6 minutes |
* Real value allowing for 5.2 per cent inflation
- The table excludes those who work less than one hour of unpaid overtime per week.
- The TUC has calculated the value of unpaid overtime using unpublished data from the National Statistics Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. All results are for employees only, and figures exclude those who work less than one hour unpaid per week.
- The LFS data is from April-June 2008 - immediately before the credit crunch. In the run up to the 'Work Your Proper Hours Day' on 27 February the TUC will examine the data from July-September 2008 to see how the economic downturn has impacted on working time. The TUC will also compare unpaid overtime by job sectors and professions.
- To find out more about 'Work Your Proper Hours Day' visit www.workyourproperhoursday.com
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk
Press release (800 words) issued 8 Jan 2009
