# Overtime, shift and on-call pay: UK benchmark 2026

> In the 2026 lumi reward benchmark, 71.7% of UK employers pay overtime, 19.5% give time off in lieu only and 8.8% offer neither (n = 226).

Source: https://lumihr.co.uk/research/overtime-shift-on-call-2026
Author: David Whitfield (https://lumihr.co.uk/about/david-whitfield)
Answers: How do UK employers pay for overtime, shift work and on-call?
Data: lumi reward benchmark · national · collection window 2026 H1
Review by: when the next collection window closes

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*lumi research · Collection window 2026 H1 · By David Whitfield*

**In the lumi reward benchmark, 71.7% of UK organisations pay overtime, 19.5% give time off in lieu (TOIL) only and 8.8% offer neither (n = 226, 2026 H1; 42 "Not applicable" answers excluded).**

> **Key findings**
> - Paid overtime is the common approach, at 71.7% (n = 226, "Not applicable" excluded). Time off in lieu (TOIL) only is rare, at 19.5%.
> - Shift premiums for unsocial hours are paid by 96.8% of organisations answering (n = 218, "Not applicable" excluded).
> - "No" is the common answer on paying hourly workers for shifts cancelled at short notice, at 46.1% (n = 219).
> - For zero- and low-hours workers, "Neither" is the common answer on reasonable notice of shifts and short-notice cancellation payments, at 33.1% (n = 121).
> - "Per day" is the common basis for paying an on-call allowance, at 34.2% (n = 149). "Per call-out only (no retainer)" is the alternative, at 30.9%.
> - The common standby structure is "Percentage of salary" for IT / Technology (22.7%, n = 88) and "Flat cash per week (retainer)" for Engineering & Maintenance (31.2%, n = 80).
> - 46.3% pay one standby rate for every period (n = 95). Weekend nights are the period most often given a higher rate, at 43.2%.

## About the data

This paper reports how UK employers answered lumi's questions on overtime, shift and on-call pay. The lumi reward benchmark covers 269 UK organisations across 14 sectors and five size bands. Data was collected in the 2026 H1 collection window. Each figure gives its base (n): the number of organisations that answered that question. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place, so a distribution can add up to 100.1%. Figures here are national. Sector and size comparisons are available to lumi members. See [how lumi works](/methodology) for the method.

## The legal context

The level and structure of overtime pay, shift premiums and on-call allowances are not set by statute. The GOV.UK timeline lists three related rights for 2027, with timing to be confirmed: a right to guaranteed hours, reasonable notice of shifts, and short-notice payments.

## Do UK employers pay overtime or give time off in lieu?

The benchmark asked *Do you pay overtime?* (n = 226, excluding 42 "Not applicable" answers). Paid overtime is the common answer, at 71.7%. "Time off in lieu (TOIL) only" is rare, at 19.5%, and 8.8% offer neither. Taken together, 91.2% recognise extra hours through pay or time (71.7% + 19.5%).

Paid overtime puts the cost of extra hours on payroll. TOIL turns it into time away from work, which needs cover and tracking.

A second question asked *Is time off in lieu (TOIL) offered as an alternative to paid overtime?* (n = 267). "Yes", at 53.9%, is the common answer, and "No" the alternative, at 46.1%. It asks whether TOIL is an option, not the only route, and has a wider base, so its figures sit alongside the first question's.

## How many UK employers pay shift premiums, and how much notice of shifts do they give?

The benchmark asked *Are shift premiums paid for unsocial hours?* (n = 218, excluding 2 "Not applicable" answers). The common answer is "Yes", at 96.8%; "No" is rare, at 3.2%. The open questions are how the premium is set: which hours count as unsocial, and whether it is a percentage or a flat sum.

It also asked *How much advance notice of shifts do you give?* (n = 212, excluding 2 "Not applicable" answers). "2 or more weeks" is the common answer, at 38.7%, and "1-2 weeks" the alternative, at 36.3%. "Less than 1 week" (15.1%) and "No set notice" (9.9%) are rare. Together, 75.0% give at least a week's notice (38.7% + 36.3%). Longer notice gives workers a clearer view of income; shorter notice keeps rotas open to late changes.

On cancellation, it asked *Are hourly workers paid if scheduled shifts are cancelled at short notice?* (n = 219). The common answer is "No", at 46.1%. "Yes – full shift paid" (30.1%) and "Yes – partial payment" (23.7%) are alternatives. The choice sets who carries the cost of a late cancellation: the worker, the employer, or both.

## Do hourly-paid roles have guaranteed hours before the rights expected in 2027?

The benchmark asked *Do hourly-paid roles have guaranteed minimum contracted hours?* (n = 241). "Yes – all hourly roles" is the common answer, at 51.9%. "Yes – some roles" is the alternative, at 38.2%, and "No (hours not guaranteed)" is rare, at 10.0%. Those answering "Yes – some roles" run both contract types, so which roles sit on each basis is a design choice.

Two questions covered zero- and low-hours workers. The first was *Do you provide reasonable notice of shifts and short-notice cancellation payments to zero-/low-hours workers (ERA 2025 right to reasonable notice, expected 2027)?* (n = 121). "Neither", at 33.1%, is the common answer, and "Both" the alternative, at 29.8%. "Cancellation pay only" (19.0%) and "Notice only" (18.2%) are rare. Adding the two, 48.8% make short-notice cancellation payments to these workers (29.8% + 19.0%). The base and wording differ from the general question on cancelled shifts, so the figures are not interchangeable.

The second was *For zero-/low-hours workers, do you offer guaranteed-hours contracts reflecting average hours worked (ERA 2025 right to guaranteed hours, expected 2027)?* (n = 120). "No", at 44.2%, is the common answer. "On request" is the alternative, at 36.7%, and "Proactively after reference period" is rare, at 19.2%. The difference between the last two is who starts the process. These answers record practice before the rights take effect.

## Which functions are on call, and how is the on-call allowance paid?

The benchmark asked *Which functions operate an on-call or standby rota?* (n = 264). "None" was chosen by 45.1%, IT / Technology by 34.1%, Engineering & Maintenance by 31.4% and other functions by 28.0%. Organisations could choose more than one.

It asked *How is 24/7 or extended-hours cover for IT / Technology staffed?* (n = 250).

| Cover model | % of base |
|---|---|
| On-call standby only | 24.4% |
| Rostered shifts | 21.6% |
| No 24/7 or extended-hours Technology cover | 20.4% |
| A mix of rostered shifts and standby | 13.6% |
| Best-efforts with no formal arrangement | 11.6% |
| Follow-the-sun across time zones | 8.4% |

"On-call standby only" is the common answer. "Rostered shifts" and "No 24/7 or extended-hours Technology cover" are alternatives; the rest are rare. Taken together, 38.0% use standby, alone or with rostered shifts (24.4% + 13.6%). The cover model is partly a pay decision: standby is paid as an allowance, rostered shifts as hours worked.

On payment, it asked *For on-call arrangements, how is the allowance typically paid?* (n = 149). "Per day" is the common answer, at 34.2%, and "Per call-out only (no retainer)" the alternative, at 30.9%. "Flat per period (e.g., per week)" (18.8%) and "Combination" (16.1%) are rare. Together, 53.0% pay a standing allowance per day or per period (34.2% + 18.8%). A retainer pays for availability; call-out-only pay follows use, but pays nothing for being available.

It also asked *What is the minimum payment when someone is called out?* (n = 149). The common answer is "2 hours", at 36.2%. "3 hours or more" (26.8%) and "1 hour" (23.5%) are alternatives, and "No minimum" is rare, at 13.4%. The minimum sets how a brief call-out is paid.

Finally, *Do shift and on-call payments differ between functions?* (n = 78, excluding 180 "Not applicable" answers). "One framework across all functions" is the common answer, at 41.0%. "Same structure but different rates" (30.8%) and "Different structure and rates" (28.2%) are alternatives. Rates differ between functions for 59.0% of those answering (30.8% + 28.2%).

## How is standby pay structured by function and by period?

Two questions asked *For IT / Technology on-call, how is the standby payment structured?* (n = 88) and *For Engineering & Maintenance on-call, how is the standby payment structured?* (n = 80).

| Standby structure | IT / Technology (n = 88) | Engineering & Maintenance (n = 80) |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of salary | 22.7% | 8.8% |
| Flat cash per week (retainer) | 21.6% | 31.2% |
| Flat cash per session or shift | 11.4% | 18.8% |
| Multiple of hourly rate | 5.7% | 5.0% |
| Per call-out only (no retainer) | 14.8% | 17.5% |
| No standby allowance paid | 17.0% | 11.2% |
| Combination | 6.8% | 7.5% |

For IT / Technology, "Percentage of salary" is the common answer and "Flat cash per week (retainer)" the alternative. For Engineering & Maintenance, "Flat cash per week (retainer)" is the common answer. Every other option is rare in both. Flat cash, per week or per session or shift, accounts for 33.0% in IT / Technology (21.6% + 11.4%) and 50.0% in Engineering & Maintenance (31.2% + 18.8%). A percentage of salary moves with pay awards and seniority. Flat cash pays the same for the same commitment, and needs its own review.

The benchmark asked *Which periods attract a higher standby rate than a weeknight?* (n = 95). "None - one rate for every period" was chosen by 46.3%, weekend nights by 43.2%, bank holidays by 28.4% and weekend days by 27.4%. More than one period could be chosen.

Two further questions asked for the rate: *Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend day (roughly 6am to 6pm)?* (n = 137) and *Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend night (roughly 6pm to 6am)?* (n = 138).

| Standby rate | Weekend day | Weekend night |
|---|---|---|
| Same as a weeknight | 51.1% | 40.6% |
| About 1.25 times a weeknight | 5.8% | 3.6% |
| About 1.5 times a weeknight | 8.0% | 15.2% |
| About 2 times a weeknight | 2.9% | 7.2% |
| More than 2 times a weeknight | 0.7% | 2.9% |
| No standby allowance paid | 31.4% | 30.4% |

"Same as a weeknight" is the common answer for both periods and "No standby allowance paid" the alternative. Every uplift is rare; "About 1.5 times a weeknight" is the uplift most often chosen. These bases differ from the multi-select question above, so the figures are not directly comparable. A single rate is simpler to run; banded rates recognise that some periods are more disruptive.

## What the data means for reward decisions

These questions come down to who carries the cost of irregular and unsocial working, and how it is priced.

For overtime, the trade-off is between a cash cost that scales with hours and a time cost that falls on cover. For shift work, the choices sit in how premiums are set. Notice and cancellation are where answers vary, trading employer flexibility against predictable income for the worker. The 2027 rights bear on both.

For on-call, organisations choose between paying for availability and paying only for work done, and whether one framework covers every function. A single framework is simpler to explain. Function-specific rates can reflect call-out frequency, skills or recruitment pressure, but create internal comparisons that need a rationale.

Questions a head of reward would ask:

- Is overtime paid in cash, time or both, and who decides?
- Which hours count as unsocial, and is the premium a percentage or a flat sum?
- How much notice of shifts is given, and what is paid when a shift is cancelled late?
- Which hourly roles have guaranteed hours, and how would the expected 2027 rights apply to current contracts?
- Does on-call pay reward availability, call-outs or both, and what minimum applies to a short call-out?
- Is standby linked to salary or set as flat cash, and do weekends and bank holidays attract a higher rate?

## Frequently asked questions

**What percentage of UK employers pay overtime?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 71.7% of UK organisations pay overtime (n = 226, 2026 H1, "Not applicable" excluded). A further 19.5% offer time off in lieu (TOIL) only, and 8.8% offer neither. Taken together, 91.2% recognise extra hours through pay or time (71.7% + 19.5%).

**What percentage of UK employers pay shift premiums for unsocial hours?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 96.8% of UK organisations answering pay shift premiums for unsocial hours, and 3.2% do not (n = 218, 2026 H1, "Not applicable" excluded). The benchmark does not record which hours count as unsocial.

**How much notice of shifts do UK employers give?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 38.7% of UK organisations give 2 or more weeks' notice of shifts and 36.3% give 1-2 weeks (n = 212, 2026 H1, "Not applicable" excluded). Together, 75.0% give at least a week's notice (38.7% + 36.3%).

**Do UK employers pay hourly workers when a shift is cancelled at short notice?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 46.1% of UK organisations do not pay hourly workers for a shift cancelled at short notice (n = 219, 2026 H1). 30.1% pay the full shift and 23.7% make a partial payment. For zero- and low-hours workers, asked separately, 48.8% make short-notice cancellation payments (29.8% + 19.0%, n = 121).

**How is on-call pay structured in the UK?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 34.2% of UK organisations pay the on-call allowance per day and 30.9% pay per call-out only with no retainer (n = 149, 2026 H1). Together, 53.0% pay a standing allowance per day or per period (34.2% + 18.8%). The common minimum payment for a call-out is 2 hours, at 36.2% (n = 149).

**Do UK employers pay a higher standby rate at weekends?**
In the lumi reward benchmark, 40.6% of UK organisations pay the same standby rate for a weekend night as for a weeknight (n = 138, 2026 H1). Weekend nights are the period most often given a higher rate, at 43.2%, while 46.3% pay one rate for every period (n = 95).

## Related

- [How to design on-call and standby pay](/guides/how-to-design-on-call-standby-pay) — turning these benchmarks into a retainer, call-out and banding structure.
- [Annual leave and holiday pay](/research/annual-leave-holiday-2026) — what UK employers give on leave and holiday pay.
- [Redundancy and restructuring terms](/research/redundancy-terms-2026) — benchmark data on notice, redundancy pay and restructuring.

## Notes

- Base and rounding are as described in "About the data". "Not applicable" answers sit inside the base unless stated below.
- "Not applicable" is excluded from the base for four questions: whether overtime is paid (42 answered "Not applicable"), whether shift premiums are paid for unsocial hours (2), how much notice of shifts is given (2), and whether shift and on-call payments differ between functions (180).
- The questions on which functions operate an on-call rota and which periods attract a higher standby rate are multi-select, so their percentages can sum to more than 100%.
- Combined figures add the listed percentages of options within one question, with the parts shown.

## Data appendix

All national figures used in this paper, as recorded in the lumi reward benchmark (collection window 2026 H1).

**Do you pay overtime?**  
Base: 226 organisations · "Not applicable" excluded from base

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid overtime | 71.7% | 162 | common |
| Time off in lieu (TOIL) only | 19.5% | 44 | rare |
| None – neither paid overtime nor TOIL | 8.8% | 20 | rare |

**Is time off in lieu (TOIL) offered as an alternative to paid overtime?**  
Base: 267 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 53.9% | 144 | common |
| No | 46.1% | 123 | alternative |

**Are shift premiums paid for unsocial hours?**  
Base: 218 organisations · "Not applicable" excluded from base

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 96.8% | 211 | common |
| No | 3.2% | 7 | rare |

**For on-call arrangements, how is the allowance typically paid?**  
Base: 149 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per day | 34.2% | 51 | common |
| Per call-out only (no retainer) | 30.9% | 46 | alternative |
| Flat per period (e.g., per week) | 18.8% | 28 | rare |
| Combination | 16.1% | 24 | rare |

**What is the minimum payment when someone is called out?**  
Base: 149 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | 36.2% | 54 | common |
| 3 hours or more | 26.8% | 40 | alternative |
| 1 hour | 23.5% | 35 | alternative |
| No minimum | 13.4% | 20 | rare |

**Do hourly-paid roles have guaranteed minimum contracted hours?**  
Base: 241 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes – all hourly roles | 51.9% | 125 | common |
| Yes – some roles | 38.2% | 92 | alternative |
| No (hours not guaranteed) | 10.0% | 24 | rare |

**Are hourly workers paid if scheduled shifts are cancelled at short notice?**  
Base: 219 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 46.1% | 101 | common |
| Yes – full shift paid | 30.1% | 66 | alternative |
| Yes – partial payment | 23.7% | 52 | alternative |

**How much advance notice of shifts do you give?**  
Base: 212 organisations · "Not applicable" excluded from base

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or more weeks | 38.7% | 82 | common |
| 1-2 weeks | 36.3% | 77 | alternative |
| Less than 1 week | 15.1% | 32 | rare |
| No set notice | 9.9% | 21 | rare |

**Do you provide reasonable notice of shifts and short-notice cancellation payments to zero-/low-hours workers (ERA 2025 right to reasonable notice, expected 2027)?**  
Base: 121 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neither | 33.1% | 40 | common |
| Both | 29.8% | 36 | alternative |
| Cancellation pay only | 19.0% | 23 | rare |
| Notice only | 18.2% | 22 | rare |

**For zero-/low-hours workers, do you offer guaranteed-hours contracts reflecting average hours worked (ERA 2025 right to guaranteed hours, expected 2027)?**  
Base: 120 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 44.2% | 53 | common |
| On request | 36.7% | 44 | alternative |
| Proactively after reference period | 19.2% | 23 | rare |

**Which functions operate an on-call or standby rota?**  
Base: 264 organisations · more than one answer allowed

| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| None | 45.1% | 119 |
| IT / Technology | 34.1% | 90 |
| Engineering & Maintenance | 31.4% | 83 |
| Other functions | 28.0% | 74 |

**Do shift and on-call payments differ between functions?**  
Base: 78 organisations · "Not applicable" excluded from base

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| One framework across all functions | 41.0% | 32 | common |
| Same structure but different rates | 30.8% | 24 | alternative |
| Different structure and rates | 28.2% | 22 | alternative |

**For IT / Technology on-call, how is the standby payment structured?**  
Base: 88 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of salary | 22.7% | 20 | common |
| Flat cash per week (retainer) | 21.6% | 19 | alternative |
| No standby allowance paid | 17.0% | 15 | rare |
| Per call-out only (no retainer) | 14.8% | 13 | rare |
| Flat cash per session or shift | 11.4% | 10 | rare |
| Combination | 6.8% | 6 | rare |
| Multiple of hourly rate | 5.7% | 5 | rare |

**For Engineering & Maintenance on-call, how is the standby payment structured?**  
Base: 80 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat cash per week (retainer) | 31.2% | 25 | common |
| Flat cash per session or shift | 18.8% | 15 | rare |
| Per call-out only (no retainer) | 17.5% | 14 | rare |
| No standby allowance paid | 11.2% | 9 | rare |
| Percentage of salary | 8.8% | 7 | rare |
| Combination | 7.5% | 6 | rare |
| Multiple of hourly rate | 5.0% | 4 | rare |

**Which periods attract a higher standby rate than a weeknight?**  
Base: 95 organisations · more than one answer allowed

| Answer | % of base | Organisations |
|---|---|---|
| None - one rate for every period | 46.3% | 44 |
| Weekend nights | 43.2% | 41 |
| Bank holidays | 28.4% | 27 |
| Weekend days | 27.4% | 26 |

**Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend day (roughly 6am to 6pm)?**  
Base: 137 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same as a weeknight | 51.1% | 70 | common |
| No standby allowance paid | 31.4% | 43 | alternative |
| About 1.5 times a weeknight | 8.0% | 11 | rare |
| About 1.25 times a weeknight | 5.8% | 8 | rare |
| About 2 times a weeknight | 2.9% | 4 | rare |
| More than 2 times a weeknight | 0.7% | 1 | rare |

**Compared with a weeknight, what standby rate applies to a weekend night (roughly 6pm to 6am)?**  
Base: 138 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Same as a weeknight | 40.6% | 56 | common |
| No standby allowance paid | 30.4% | 42 | alternative |
| About 1.5 times a weeknight | 15.2% | 21 | rare |
| About 2 times a weeknight | 7.2% | 10 | rare |
| About 1.25 times a weeknight | 3.6% | 5 | rare |
| More than 2 times a weeknight | 2.9% | 4 | rare |

**How is 24/7 or extended-hours cover for IT / Technology staffed?**  
Base: 250 organisations

| Answer | % of base | Organisations | Prevalence |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-call standby only | 24.4% | 61 | common |
| Rostered shifts | 21.6% | 54 | alternative |
| No 24/7 or extended-hours Technology cover | 20.4% | 51 | alternative |
| A mix of rostered shifts and standby | 13.6% | 34 | rare |
| Best-efforts with no formal arrangement | 11.6% | 29 | rare |
| Follow-the-sun across time zones | 8.4% | 21 | rare |

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