How many hours is part-time in the UK?

There is no legal definition of part-time hours under UK employment law. A part-time worker is simply someone who works fewer hours than a comparable full-time worker in the same organisation in England and Wales. Common part-time arrangements range from a few hours per week to just under full-time hours.

Do part-time workers get the same hourly rate as full-time workers?

Yes, part-time workers must receive the same hourly rate as comparable full-time workers for the same or similar work under the Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000. Any difference in pay rate must be objectively justified.

How is holiday calculated for part-time workers?

Holiday is calculated on a pro-rata basis. If a full-time worker gets 28 days including bank holidays, a worker doing three days per week gets 16.8 days (28 x 3/5). Employers can round up to the nearest half or full day.

Can a part-time worker be asked to work extra hours?

Yes, subject to the terms of the contract. The contract should specify how additional hours are managed, whether overtime rates apply, and that the Working Time Regulations 1998 limits on weekly working hours are respected.

Are part-time workers entitled to a pension?

Part-time workers who meet the auto-enrolment criteria must be enrolled in the employer's workplace pension scheme. Those who do not meet the earnings trigger can request to join. The employer cannot refuse on the basis that the worker is part-time.

Can a part-time worker request to increase their hours?

Part-time workers do not have a specific statutory right to increase their hours, but they can express their interest. The Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000 require employers to consider part-time workers for any full-time vacancies. Employers should also consider requests under their flexible working policy.

What notice period applies to part-time workers?

The same statutory minimum notice periods apply in the UK as for full-time workers: one week after one month of service, then one week per year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks under the Employment Rights Act 1996. The British contract may specify a longer notice period.

Can I be made redundant because I work part-time?

No, selecting an employee for redundancy because they are part-time would be less favourable treatment under the UK Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000. British redundancy selection criteria must be applied equally to part-time and full-time workers. UK employment tribunals in England and Wales will scrutinise selection criteria that disproportionately affect part-time employees.

EmploymentUnited Kingdom

Free Part-Time Employment Contract Template

Create a professional part-time employment contract compliant with UK employment law. Fill in the details, preview, and download a PDF in minutes.

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PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Written Statement Of Particulars · ERA 1996 S.1 · Part-time Workers Regulations 2000 · England And Wales

EMPLOYER

Nexus Digital Ltd

1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AB · Co. No: 12345678 · PAYE: 475/ZX98765

EMPLOYEE

James Richardson

42 Beacon Road, London SE1 7PQ · NI: JR 33 22 11 B

Role: Marketing Coordinator · 20 hrs/wk

Start: 2026-05-01

This Part-Time Employment Contract (this "Contract") is entered into between Nexus Digital Ltd (the "Employer") and James Richardson (the "Employee"). It constitutes a written statement of the Employee's particulars of employment as required by section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 and is provided on or before the first day of employment in accordance with the Employment Rights (Employment Particulars and Paid Annual Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2018.

APPOINTMENT AND COMMENCEMENT

The Employer appoints the Employee to the part-time position of Marketing Coordinator with effect from 2026-05-01, based at London office with hybrid arrangement (min. 2 days/week in office). For the purposes of sections 210-219 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 the Employee's continuous service is recognised as beginning on 2026-05-01. This appointment is subject to the Employee's right to work in the United Kingdom, verified in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. A probationary period of 3 months shall apply, during which shorter notice may be given on either side as set out below.

DUTIES

The Employee shall perform the duties reasonably associated with the role of Marketing Coordinator, including in particular: Planning and executing digital marketing campaigns; producing reports; supporting the marketing manager and collaborating with the content team. The Employee shall faithfully and diligently perform such duties and shall comply with the Employer's reasonable instructions, policies and procedures as updated from time to time. The Employee shall devote the whole of their working time to the business of the Employer during contracted hours.

HOURS OF WORK

The Employee's contracted hours are 20 hours per week, worked on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. The Employee's normal working pattern is: Mon-Wed 09:00-14:00 with 1 hour unpaid lunch break (in-office Tue/Wed). The Employee is not required to work hours beyond those set out above, but may be offered additional hours by mutual agreement (paid at the same hourly-equivalent rate unless otherwise agreed in writing). The Employee's rights under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (including the 48-hour weekly limit, rest breaks and rest periods) shall be observed. The Employee's rights under the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 are preserved in full.

REMUNERATION

The Employee shall be paid at the rate of £15.50 per hour, payable monthly in arrears on the last working day of the month by bank transfer (BACS) to the Employee's nominated UK bank account, subject to deductions for income tax and National Insurance contributions under the PAYE system. The Employee's hourly rate shall at no time fall below the applicable rate of the National Living Wage or National Minimum Wage under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015, and shall be uplifted automatically where statutory rates change.

ANNUAL LEAVE

The Employee is entitled to 14 days of paid annual leave per holiday year, calculated on a pro-rata basis proportionate to their contracted hours relative to a comparable full-time employee (minimum statutory entitlement: 5.6 weeks' leave under regulation 13 and regulation 13A of the Working Time Regulations 1998). This entitlement includes public and bank holidays that would fall on days the Employee would normally work. Holiday must be taken in the holiday year in which it accrues and cannot be carried over except where required by law (e.g. prolonged sickness absence: Stringer v HMRC [2009] UKHL 31). Upon termination, accrued but untaken statutory leave will be paid in lieu; excess leave already taken may be recovered as a deduction permitted by section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

SICKNESS ABSENCE

The Employee must notify the Employer as soon as reasonably practicable on the first day of any sickness absence and in any event before the Employee's normal start time. During any period of certified sickness absence the Employee will receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) only, under Part XI of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 and the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982, subject to meeting the qualifying earnings threshold (calculated on average earnings over the 8-week period before absence).

PENSION

The Employee will be assessed for automatic enrolment into a qualifying workplace pension scheme under the Pensions Act 2008 and the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Automatic Enrolment) Regulations 2010. Contributions will be made at the statutory minimum rates applicable at the commencement date. Part-time workers are enrolled on the same pro-rata basis as full-timers.

NOTICE

Either party may terminate this Contract by giving written notice as follows: by the Employer to the Employee: one (1) month; by the Employee to the Employer: one (1) month. The statutory minimum notice entitlement under section 86 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 shall apply where greater than the contractual period. The Employer reserves the right to terminate summarily for gross misconduct without notice or pay in lieu. The Employer may, at its discretion, place the Employee on garden leave or make a payment in lieu of notice in respect of basic pay only.

EQUAL TREATMENT (PART-TIME WORKERS REGULATIONS 2000)

The Employee shall not be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time employee solely because they work part-time, in accordance with regulation 5 of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000. This covers (without limitation) rate of pay and benefits, access to training, promotion opportunities, redundancy-selection criteria, sick-pay entitlement, pensions and other contractual terms, applying the pro-rata principle endorsed in Matthews v Kent and Medway Towns Fire Authority [2006] UKHL 8. The Employee may request additional hours or a return to full-time working; such a request will be considered reasonably by the Employer and not refused on grounds related to the Employee's part-time status. A refusal must be explained in writing.

10.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Employee shall not, during employment or for twelve (12) months afterwards, disclose to any third party or use for any purpose other than the Employer's business any confidential information relating to the Employer's business, clients, personnel, pricing or operations, except where disclosure is required by law, authorised in writing, or is a protected disclosure under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

11.

NON-SOLICITATION

For a period of 6 months following termination of this Contract, the Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit the custom of any client, customer or supplier of the Employer with whom the Employee had material dealings during the final twelve (12) months of employment, for the purpose of carrying on a business in competition with the Employer. This restriction extends only to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the Employer's legitimate business interests (Herbert Morris Ltd v Saxelby [1916] 1 AC 688; Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd [2019] UKSC 32).

12.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All inventions, designs, works, software, databases and other intellectual property created by the Employee in the course of employment shall vest in and be the sole property of the Employer, pursuant to section 39 of the Patents Act 1977, section 11 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and regulation 14 of the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997. The Employee assigns to the Employer with full title guarantee all such rights, including all future copyright by way of present assignment under section 91 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, and waives all moral rights to the extent permitted by law.

13.

DATA PROTECTION

The Employer shall process the Employee's personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018, on the legal bases of contract (Art. 6(1)(b) UK GDPR), legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) — PAYE, NIC, auto-enrolment, right-to-work checks) and legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)). Special-category data (e.g. sickness records) shall be processed under Art. 9(2)(b) UK GDPR and Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (employment condition). A copy of the Employer's Employee Privacy Notice will be provided separately.

14.

GOVERNING LAW

This Contract is governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. The parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales and (for employment disputes) the Employment Tribunal.

15.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Entire agreement: This Contract, together with any written policies referred to, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior negotiations. Variation: No variation shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by both parties, save that the Employer may make minor changes to non-core terms by written notice. Severability: If any provision is held void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force. Counterparts: This Contract may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original. Third parties: The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 is excluded.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date first written above.

EMPLOYER

Alexandra Brooks

HR Director

Nexus Digital Ltd

Date: ____________________

EMPLOYEE

James Richardson

Date: ____________________

What Is a Part-Time Employment Contract?

A part-time employment contract is a written agreement between an employer and an employee who works fewer hours than a comparable full-time worker. It sets out the same essential terms as a full-time contract — pay, hours, duties, and benefits — but reflects the part-time working arrangement.

Under the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000, part-time workers must not be treated less favourably than comparable full-time workers. This means pay rates, holiday entitlement, training, pensions, and other benefits must be provided on a pro-rata basis.

A well-drafted UK part-time contract protects both the British employer and the employee by clearly defining the agreed working hours, pro-rata entitlements, and how the part-time arrangement interacts with company policies under English employment law.

What's Covered in This Template

Our part-time employment contract template includes all the essential terms required by UK employment law.

Parties and Commencement

Full details of the employer and employee, start date, and continuous service date.

Job Title and Duties

The role, main responsibilities, and reporting line.

Working Hours and Days

The specific days and hours the employee will work each week.

Salary (Pro-Rata)

The pro-rata annual salary or hourly rate, payment frequency, and method.

Holiday Entitlement

Pro-rata annual leave calculated in line with the Working Time Regulations 1998.

Pension

Auto-enrolment pension details, with contributions based on qualifying earnings.

Sickness and Absence

Reporting procedures and entitlement to statutory sick pay.

Notice Periods

Contractual and statutory notice provisions for both parties.

Equal Treatment

Confirmation of equal treatment with comparable full-time workers.

Overtime and Additional Hours

Arrangements for working beyond contracted hours and any overtime rates.

How to Create a Part-Time Employment Contract

Follow these steps to create a compliant part-time contract using our template.

1
Enter Employer and Employee Details
Provide the company name, registered address, and the employee's name, address, and start date.
2
Define Working Hours
Specify the exact days and hours the employee will work each week. Make clear whether these are fixed or may vary, and how changes will be agreed.
3
Set Pro-Rata Pay and Benefits
Enter the pro-rata salary or hourly rate, and calculate the corresponding pro-rata holiday entitlement, sick pay, and pension contributions.
4
Add Standard Employment Terms
Complete the sections on duties, notice periods, confidentiality, disciplinary and grievance procedures, and any other relevant terms.
5
Review and Download
Preview the completed contract, verify all calculations and terms, and download as a PDF. Both parties should sign and retain a copy.

Legal Considerations

Part-time employment contracts must comply with specific regulations protecting part-time workers.

This template is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation.

Reviewed for England & Wales law

Part-Time Workers Regulations 2000

The UK Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 give British part-time workers the right not to be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time worker in terms of pay rates, holiday, training, pension access, career development, and selection for redundancy. Treatment is less favourable only if the worker can identify a comparable full-time worker doing the same or similar work.

Pro-Rata Holiday Entitlement

UK part-time workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave per year, calculated on a pro-rata basis. For example, an employee working three days per week is entitled to 16.8 days (3 x 5.6). Bank holidays may be included or additional, depending on the contract. British employers must ensure holiday calculations are accurate and non-discriminatory.

National Minimum Wage

Part-time workers in the United Kingdom must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. The hourly rate must not be lower than that paid to comparable full-time workers unless the difference is objectively justified under English law.

Auto-Enrolment Pension

UK part-time workers who meet the eligibility criteria (aged 22 to state pension age and earning above the earnings trigger) must be automatically enrolled in a workplace pension under the Pensions Act 2008. The British employer cannot exclude part-time workers from the pension scheme solely because of their working pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

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