Practical guides for people who build rotas.
UK payroll, employment rules and rota craft, in plain English. Written for the manager who has to press the button on Sunday night.
- Payroll8 min readHow to calculate holiday pay for hourly staff (UK, 2026)
How holiday accrues for hourly, part-time and zero-hours staff, how to work out a day’s pay, and where the 12.07% figure fits (and where it does not).
- Compliance7 min readUK rest break rules: what the Working Time Regulations require
The 20-minute rule, daily and weekly rest, the 48-hour week, night worker limits, and what changes for staff under 18.
- Payroll8 min readWhat employer National Insurance really adds to your wage bill
Secondary Class 1 employer NI in 2026: current rates and thresholds, Employment Allowance, and how to add it to your rota cost properly.
- Payroll8 min readWhat is a tronc scheme and how does it work?
What tronc is, why it saves on employer NI, how the troncmaster role works, and what the Tips Act 2023 changed for hospitality.
- Rota craft9 min readHow to build a fair staff rota (with a free template)
A practical seven-step method for building a rota staff respect, and a free Excel template to start from.