Contractor Working Hours: What’s Normal & What’s Too Much?
People in the UK are working longer weeks than those in any other EU country according to research by the Trades Union Congress. The study found that full-time employees in the UK worked an average of 42 hours a week last year. This is equivalent to an extra two and a half weeks per year and was almost two more hours than EU employees typically worked.
The study only covered full-time employees and did not divulge which industries the employees worked in. However, it raises questions about finding a work-life balance and whether overworking also applies to those who are self-employed or contractors.
If you work for yourself and feel that you never have enough free time and are overworked, then we’re here to help. Read on for our guide to contractor working hours, what’s normal and what’s too much.
What is the standard for contractors?
There isn’t actually a clear-cut answer to this question as it varies by industry. According to UK employment law, people in standard employment can’t work more than 48 hours per week. There are certain exceptions for jobs that require 24-hour staffing, or those in the military or emergency services.
This is where contractors differ, as they aren’t bound by the standard 48 hours and 9am-5pm rules. Contractors can choose when they work and how long they work for. Another factor is the contracts that contractors choose to accept. These contracts may cover any number of hours a week, depending on the client and the amount of work required by them. As a general rule, particularly for industries like IT, many contractors work around 35-40 hours per week.
That said, self-employed people have been found to work longer hours than standard employees. According to data from the Office for National Statistics, more than 13% of self-employed people worked more than 60 hours per week in 2014. This was compared to just 4% of employees working the same number of hours.
Is this normal?
Although contractor working hours per week depend on the individual and the industry, working more than employees seems to be the current norm. It is important to question whether a longer work week is actually beneficial to wellbeing, happiness or productivity. Many people would argue that it is not at all.
The research by the TUC argued that despite UK workers working more than EU workers, productivity was reduced. In similar economies to ours, workers were more productive in each hour they worked than UK workers. German workers were found to have worked 1.8 hours less per week, for instance, but were 14.6% more productive.
How can I tell if I’m working too much?
The answer to this question varies from contractor to contractor. While some people are happy always being busy and thrive off pressure, others like a more evenly spread-out work schedule. No matter which category you fall in, you should try and make sure that not every week is so busy that you feel overwhelmed.
Experiencing frequent or constant stress can be detrimental to your ability to work effectively and can affect your wellbeing. Over time it can cause anxiety and mood swings and could increase your risk of serious issues like high blood pressure and heart disease.
Here are a few common signs that you may be working too much:
What can I do about it?
There are several ways to cut down your workload and build upon your work-life balance.
You could calculate your weekly or monthly incomings and see if you actually need to continue with the number of clients you have. If the work you do sufficiently covers your outgoings and you are comfortable financially, cutting down could be an option. If you need the full amount of work that you currently do, don’t worry.
Try to work out a more organised schedule for your working week and stick to it. Don’t procrastinate or leave work until the last minute. You could also try talking to your clients about the deadlines they need work by. If they want it at any point during the week, don’t commit to a day when you already have a lot of work planned. Work around ongoing projects when you get more work offered and keep track of your work diary.
If you want to cut down your personal workload without turning down work you could consider hiring a subcontractor. If your budget allows it, consider outsourcing some of your work and working with another contractor or freelancer. That way you can maximise on your client connections and keep busy, but know that the extra work is being taken care of.
Sometimes, your ‘working hours’ can become dominated with basic admin like tax and invoicing. That’s not even mentioning the budgeting for your annual holiday leave or setting aside money for unexpected sickness. As a result, you spend less time doing chargeable work – what you do best – but still rack up the weekly hours.
With an umbrella company, all this is taken care of. They process your invoices and pay the correct amount of tax before sending you your take-home pay. Compliant umbrella companies also provide full statutory benefits like sick pay, holiday pay and a workplace pension.
Like any product or service, umbrella companies vary in price and the features on offer. Using Umbrella Supermarket, you can find the best fit for you. Enter a few details like your typical monthly income and you’ll be given a range of quotes from leading providers including your estimated take home pay. Then, simply choose the best for you and enjoy life with more free time!
Any contractor considering switching to an umbrella company will want to know how to find the best provider to work with.
Although you could spend your precious time and energy searching the web for the best umbrella company, there is an easier way – using an umbrella calculator.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains why every contractor should use an umbrella calculator in 2021.
If you are considering contracting you will need to decide on PAYE or umbrella.
It can be a difficult decision to make and contractors will inevitably be questioning which option will be the best for them.
To help every contractor get on the right track for them, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket looks at PAYE vs umbrella, outlining the key differences and how this will impact you.
There are many reasons that contractors across the UK opt to work under an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies offer an easy way to contract and remove the need for the contractors to worry about the burdens of admin, finances, tax and IR35, all things that limited company contractors have to deal with.
For this reason, many contractors will be weighing up their options and questioning whether it is worth using an umbrella company in 2021. To help make the decision that little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on the pros and cons of using an umbrella company.
Any contractor that is considering operating through an umbrella company in 2021 will need to understand Umbrella Company fees - from why an umbrella company charges fees, how they are paid to how much the contractor will pay.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket answers those all-important questions to help every contractor know exactly where they stand when it comes to umbrella company fees.
If you’ve made the decision to contract through an umbrella company in 2021, you will next need to find an umbrella company that’s right for you.
After all, there are lots of umbrella companies out there, so how do you know which one to choose?
To help you find the best umbrella company for you, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket outlines what makes a good umbrella company, so you can rest assured you’re making the right move.
One of the many advantages to operating through an umbrella company for contractors is that they become an employee of their chosen provider.
In turn, this means that the contractor will be automatically enrolled onto the umbrella company’s workplace pension scheme.
To help contractors find out more about umbrella company pensions Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
If you are considering contracting through an umbrella company you will naturally have questions and queries over how they work.
After all, making the move to umbrella can be a big step for contractors. To help, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket explains how to get started with an umbrella company and share our top tips for using one in 2021.
PAYE or umbrella is a question asked by every contractor. Which one you opt for will have a big impact on your contracting career and lifestyle. So, it's important to make the right decision for you.
To help makes things a little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on PAYE or umbrella, outlining the key differences between each, to help you make the best and most informed decision for you.
One of the many benefits to working through an umbrella company is that you will receive holiday pay as well as a range of other statutory benefits including sick pay, maternity and paternity pay.
To find out more about umbrella company holiday pay, and how to calculate how much you will be entitled to, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
Contractors must make several decisions throughout their contracting careers. One big decision contractors have to make is how they will operate.
One way that contractors can work is through an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies have become an increasingly popular way to contract in the past few years, offering many benefits to the contractor. But, how do you know whether this option is right for you?
To help every contractor make the right decision for them, in this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains when not to use an umbrella company.
There are tons of benefits to using an umbrella company, which is why they have become such a popular option for contractors in recent years.
After all, an umbrella company takes away the stress and hassle of operating through a limited company whilst offering contractors a range of advantages, such as statutory rights, paying them a salary, deducting correct tax levels and National Insurance, and taking care of tasks like expense processing and invoicing.
However, as more and more contractors opt to use the services of an umbrella company, more providers have started to claim that they are HMRC approved.
To bust the myths around HMRC approved umbrella companies and get straight to the facts, in today's guide Umbrella Supermarket look at whether HMRC approved umbrella companies really exist, so you know exactly where you stand.
If you're considering making the leap to contracting, you will understandably want to know how much you will have to pay in umbrella company costs. After all, this amount comes directly out of the contractor’s pocket, so it’s important to be clued up on how much you should expect to pay.
To help contractors, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket answer the all-important question of how umbrella companies cost in 2021.
