Fiducia TogetherRight to disconnect and out of hours
Expectations about contact outside working time.
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.
What it means
There is no statutory right to disconnect in the UK, but working time limits, rest break entitlements and health and safety duties all bear on out-of-hours contact.
Why it matters
Always-on expectations drive burnout and turnover, and time spent working counts towards working time and potentially the minimum wage.
What it looks like in practice
Set an explicit norm and have leaders model it. Scheduling emails to send in working hours costs nothing and changes the signal.
What to watch out for
On-call arrangements. Time spent on call at the workplace generally counts as working time, and the rules for on-call at home are more complex.
Where to get proper advice
https://www.acas.org.uk/
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains what a term means. It is general information, not legal, financial, tax or investment advice, and it does not know anything about your business. Before you sign, file or commit to anything, check it with an accountant, a solicitor, or the official guidance we link to.