Surveys expose Britain's long-hours culture

The average British worker takes less than half an hour for lunch, does not take their full holiday entitlement, and works excessively long hours.

This is the bleak picture of work painted by several surveys published over the summer. TUC general secretary, John Monks said: "This latest research confirms what the TUC has been arguing. We now live in 'Burn-Out Britain'." The TUC campaign Changing Times has highlighted the long-hours culture in Britain. One in six, or four million employees now work more than 48 hours a week, with the UK top of the European long hours' league.

A report by caterers Eurest showed that the average lunch break has fallen to 27 minutes, while employment agency Reed found that only 44% of workers take all the holiday they are entitled to.

Although the average working week has been around 39 hours over the past decade, the European Economic and Social Research Council found that almost half of men and a third of women frequently worked extra hours.

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, workers should not work more than 48 hours a week, and most have a right to a rest break of at least 20 minutes if they work more than six hours in a day. The regulations also state that workers are entitled to a minimum of 20 days' paid leave a year.

For further information on the TUC's work-life balance campaign visit www.tuc.org.uk/changingtimes or tel: 020 7467 1337.