Finance & Pay

UK Overtime Pay & Underpayment Calculator (2026)

Work out contractual overtime pay, check whether your pay falls below the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage in force from April 2026, estimate arrears owed over several pay periods, and accrue statutory holiday pay.

How It Works & Methodology

Three UK pay checks in one page: contractual overtime pay, a National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage underpayment check with arrears estimate, and statutory holiday-pay accrual for irregular-hours workers. The minimum wage rates below are the official figures in force from 1 April 2026 and are uprated every April.

Overtime pay = Basic hourly rate x Standard hours + Basic hourly rate x Overtime hours x Overtime multiplier Minimum wage entitlement = NMW/NLW hourly rate x Total hours worked Shortfall per period = Max(0, Minimum wage entitlement - Pay received) Total arrears = Shortfall per period x Number of affected pay periods Holiday pay accrual (irregular hours) = Hours worked x 12.07% x Average hourly rate
Key Assumptions & Scope:
  • Covers hourly "time work" only. Salaried-hours work, output work and unmeasured work use different statutory calculations and are not included.
  • There is no legal obligation to pay an overtime premium in the UK; any multiplier is contractual. The minimum wage is still judged on average pay across all hours worked.
  • National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates: National Living Wage (21+) £12.71, 18–20 £10.85, 16–17 £8.00, apprentice £8.00, in force from 1 April 2026.
  • Shortfall and arrears are estimates that assume the same underpayment repeats for the number of pay periods you enter. Tips, salary sacrifice, employer pension contributions and the accommodation offset are excluded.
Official Reference & Source: GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (April 2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I entitled to extra pay for overtime in the UK?

UK law does not require employers to pay an overtime premium, so any time-and-a-half or double-time rate comes from your contract. However, your average pay across the total hours you work must not fall below the National Minimum Wage for your age band.

How do I know if I am being underpaid?

Divide your total pay for the pay period by the total hours you worked, including overtime, and compare it with the minimum wage rate for your age. If the result is lower, you are underpaid by the difference. This calculator shows that shortfall per period and the total owed over several periods.

Do the minimum wage rates change every year?

Yes. The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates are reviewed annually and normally change on 1 April. The rates on this page are the official figures from 1 April 2026, so re-check them each April.