Slough has been named the UK’s hardest-working area, with employees in the Berkshire town working an average of 35.9 hours per week, according to new statistical analysis.
The research, conducted by Re-flow Field Management, analysed official Office for National Statistics (ONS) data to rank areas across the UK by mean weekly hours worked in 2025. In the event of a tie, the annual percentage change in mean weekly hours worked was used to determine the final ranking, with higher values placing areas ahead. Across the UK, the average number of hours worked per week was 32.8.
The analysis highlights significant regional variations in working patterns, with South Holland in Lincolnshire taking second place and Rutland in the East Midlands ranking third. At the other end of the scale, workers in Moray, Scotland, recorded the lowest average, at just over 30 hours per week.
The 10 hardest working areas in the UK
| Rank | Area | Mean weekly hours worked | Difference compared with UK average | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slough | 35.9 hours | +9.45% | +1.8% |
| 2 | South Holland | 35.7 hours | +8.84% | +2.9% |
| 3 | Rutland | 35.7 hours | +8.84% | +1.0% |
| 4 | Stevenage | 35.5 hours | +8.23% | +2.2% |
| 5 | Cherwell | 35.2 hours | +7.32% | +2.6% |
| 6 | Kensington and Chelsea | 35.0 hours | +6.71% | +3.0% |
| 7 | North Warwickshire | 34.8 hours | +6.10% | +6.0% |
| 8 | Cannock Chase | 34.8 hours | +6.10% | +2.5% |
| =9 | Nuneaton and Bedworth | 34.8 hours | +6.10% | +2.2% |
| =9 | Gosport | 34.8 hours | +6.10% | +2.2% |
| 10 | Hammersmith and Fulham | 34.7 hours | +5.79% | +0.8% |
Regional breakdown of workload trends
Slough, which tops the ranking, records weekly hours almost 10% above the UK average, equating to roughly 3.1 extra hours per week. Across its 64,000 jobs, workers put in an estimated 2.3 million hours each week. Over a full year, that translates to nearly 1,870 hours per person and more than 20 additional working days compared with the national average.
South Holland has 44,000 jobs, generating an estimated 1.57 million hours each week. Working time has risen by 2.9% over the past year, amounting to more than 1,850 annual hours per person and nearly 19 additional working days compared with the UK norm.
Rutland matched South Holland’s 35.7 weekly hours but experienced a more modest annual increase of 1.0%. With around 17,000 jobs, the area accounts for 607,000 hours each week, representing more than 1,850 annual hours per person and nearly 19 additional working days compared with the UK average.
Stevenage logged 35.5 hours per week across 37,000 jobs, totalling 1.31 million hours each week. This is more than 8% above the UK norm, equating to around 2.7 additional hours per week, with hours rising 2.2% over the year to reach roughly 1,846 hours annually per person, or around 18 additional working days.
Cherwell recorded 35.2 hours per week across 75,000 jobs, representing an estimated 2.64 million hours each week. Hours increased by 2.6% over the year, putting the area more than 7% above the UK average, at around 1,830 annual hours per person, or roughly 16 additional working days.
Kensington and Chelsea averaged 35.0 hours per week, rising 3.0% over the year to around 7% above the UK average.
North Warwickshire logged 34.8 hours, recording the largest annual rise in the top 10 at 6.0%, just over 6% above the average.
Cannock Chase averaged 34.8 hours, up 2.5% over the year.
Tied for ninth, Nuneaton and Bedworth recorded 34.8 hours across 65,000 jobs, generating 2.26 million hours each week, while Gosport matched the 34.8-hour average with a smaller total workload.
10th-placed Hammersmith and Fulham averaged 34.7 hours across its large workforce, logging nearly 2.9 million hours each week, with an annual rise of 0.8%.
At the other end of the spectrum, Moray placed last overall, with employees working an average of 30.1 hours per week. That is around 2.7 hours below the UK average, or more than 8% lower overall, with working time edging down 0.8% over the past year. Over a year, this equates to roughly 1,565 hours per person and around 18 fewer working days than the national average.
Commenting on the findings, Ashley Wing, CMO of Re-flow Field Management, said: “The gap between the highest and lowest ranked areas points to structural differences in local labour markets rather than simple variations in effort.”
“Areas near the top of the ranking often have a higher concentration of full time, office based and professional roles, where longer contracted hours and unpaid overtime are more common, particularly in commuter hubs and large employment centres. In contrast, areas towards the bottom tend to have a greater share of part time, public sector, seasonal, or shift based work, which naturally pulls average weekly hours down.”
“What is particularly notable is the rate of change. Some areas are moving up the ranking not because people are suddenly working much longer weeks, but because hours are rising faster there than elsewhere, suggesting growing workloads or tightening staffing levels.”
“Overall, the data highlights how uneven working time has become across the UK, shaped as much by where people work as by what they do.”
New statistical analysis has identified Slough as the UK’s hardest-working area, with employees averaging 35.9 hours per week.