WORKERS put in £31 billion of unpaid overtime in 2024, new TUC analysis highlighting the staffing pressures in schools and hospitals shows today.

The union body’s survey showed 3.8 million people did unpaid overtime last year, putting in an average of 7.2 unpaid hours a week — equivalent to losing £8,000 a year of wages.

The occupations with the highest proportion of workforce doing unpaid overtime were teaching at 38 per cent and health and care managers at 35 per cent.

Teachers and health and care managers coming out on top for unpaid overtime highlights the staffing pressures in schools and hospitals, the TUC said.

While government’s plans to recruit 6,500 additional teachers will help to improve levels of work intensity, more engagement is needed on workforce issues across the public sector, it warned.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Most workers don’t mind putting in extra hours from time to time, but they should be paid for it.

“This analysis shows once again the staffing pressures in our public services that have been driven by 14 years of Tory mismanagement.

“It is really important the new government engages with its workforce on issues like workloads to stop staff leaving our schools and hospitals.”

The union federation published its findings on its 21st annual Work Your Proper Hours Day — when workers are encouraged to take the breaks they are entitled to and finish shifts on time while managers are encouraged to support staff with reasonable workloads and policies against burnout.

Regionally, 17 per cent of workers in London did unpaid overtime — the highest — compared to 13 per cent nationally, while Wales had the lowest at 10 per cent.

Women and men were similarly likely to work unpaid overtime, though women who did unpaid overtime did on average slightly less at 6.8 hours a week compared to 7.5 hours a week for men.

Mr Nowak added: “We are encouraging every worker to take their lunchbreak and finish on time today. And we know that good employers will support them doing that.

“My message to workers who are unfairly being forced to put in unpaid hours is that help is on the way.

“The Employment Rights Bill will make it easier for people to come together in a union and challenge unfair practices.”