Reduce maximum weekly working hours to 32 & introduce statutory overtime pay
Amend the Working Time Regulations to reduce the legal maximum baseline working week to 32 hours from 48 hours, maintaining current pay levels (100:80:100 model). Make it a legal requirement that any hours worked beyond 32 hours a week be paid statutory overtime across all sectors.
Signatures
7
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 7/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 7/100,000
- 03 JUN 2026Petition opened for signaturesCreated by Tobias Gandhi
Background
A 40-hour work week can cause extreme burnout. UK trials by Cambridge/Salford universities proved that a four-day week model is an economic success: businesses saw a 35% revenue increase compared to a similar period from previous years, a 65% drop in sick days, and a 57% drop in turnover. Crucially, reducing the legal hour limit could ensure that 24/7 sector staff (like nurses) receive a vital pay rise through overtime for hours worked beyond 32. We need time back, not compressed hours. The data proves we can work smarter, not longer.