Shift Rota Calculator
Estimate your total hours, average weekly workload, and expected pay over your shift rota cycle, including any shift premiums.
Calculate Your Rota Hours & Pay
Enter your shift pattern details to instantly see your average weekly hours, total cycle hours, and estimated earnings, factoring in any unsocial hour premiums.
Rota Estimator
See what your shift pattern means for your time and wallet.
How it Works
Understanding your rota calculations
Define the Cycle
We establish the total length of your repeating rota pattern (e.g., 2 weeks, 4 weeks) to smooth out irregular shift distributions.
Calculate Total Volume
We multiply your shifts per week by the cycle length and hours per shift to find your total working hours for the entire period.
Apply Shift Premiums
If you receive extra pay for nights or weekends, we calculate that premium percentage and add it to your base earnings.
Average Weekly Breakdown
We divide the cycle totals by the number of weeks to give you a clear, standardised view of your average weekly workload and income.
Common UK Shift Patterns
A general overview of popular rotating shift patterns used in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing, and their average weekly hours (assuming 12-hour shifts).
| Pattern Name | How it Works | Avg. Weekly Hours (12h shifts) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 on 4 off | 4 consecutive working days, followed by 4 days off. | 42 hours |
| 3 on 3 off | 3 consecutive working days, followed by 3 days off. | 42 hours |
| 5 on 2 off | Standard Monday to Friday working week. | 40 hours (if 8h shifts) / 60 hours (if 12h shifts) |
| Continental | Rotating pattern of 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off (or similar variations). | 42 hours |
| 7 on 7 off | 7 consecutive working days, followed by 7 days off. | 42 hours |
Shift Work & Rota FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about calculating shift hours, pay, and UK employment rights.
To calculate your average weekly hours, multiply the number of shifts you work per week by the hours per shift to get your weekly total. If your rota cycle is longer than a week (e.g., 4 weeks), calculate the total hours in the entire cycle and divide by the number of weeks in that cycle.
Under the UK Working Time Regulations, you cannot be forced to work more than an average of 48 hours per week over a 17-week reference period, unless you have voluntarily opted out in writing. Certain professions, like transport workers, have different rules.
A shift premium is an additional percentage or fixed amount added to your base hourly rate for working unsocial hours, such as nights, weekends, or bank holidays. For example, a 10% night shift premium on a £12/hour rate makes the hourly rate £13.20 for those shifts.
A ‘4 on 4 off’ pattern averages 3.5 shifts per week (4 shifts every 8 days). Multiply 3.5 by your hours per shift to get your average weekly hours, then multiply by your hourly rate to find your average weekly pay.