Care Worker Pay Calculator
Mix day shifts, waking nights, and sleep-ins to instantly calculate your total gross pay. Ensure your sleep-in rates are applied correctly!
Your Shift Details (This Payslip)
☀️ Day Shifts
🌙 Waking Nights
🛏️ Sleep-in Shifts
Note: Sleep-in shifts are paid a flat rate, not an hourly rate, according to UK law.
Total Gross Pay
This is your total earnings before tax, NI, and pension deductions.
Calculate your deductions to see what hits your bank account.
Sleep-Ins vs Waking Nights Explained (2026)
For care workers, understanding the difference between a sleep-in shift and a waking night shift is crucial, as the pay structures are entirely different under UK law.
The Sleep-in Rule (Royal Mencap Ruling)
In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that care workers who are expected to sleep during their shift are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage for the hours they are asleep. Because of this, employers pay a "flat rate" for a sleep-in shift (often between £35 and £60 per night).
However, if you are woken up to assist a service user, the time you spend awake and working must be paid at your standard hourly rate (which must meet or exceed minimum wage).
Waking Nights
If your contract specifies a "waking night", you are required to remain awake for the entire duration of the shift. Because you are actively working, every single hour of a waking night must be paid at or above the National Minimum Wage.
Many care companies offer an enhanced hourly rate for waking nights to compensate for the unsociable hours, though this is at the employer's discretion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a sleep-in and a waking night?
A 'sleep-in' shift is when a care worker is expected to sleep at the workplace but be available for emergencies. A 'waking night' shift is when the worker must remain awake and perform duties throughout the entire night.
Does the National Minimum Wage apply to sleep-ins?
Following the 2021 Supreme Court ruling (Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake), care workers are NOT entitled to the National Minimum Wage for hours they are asleep during a sleep-in shift. They are only entitled to a flat-rate allowance set by the employer.
What happens if I am woken up during a sleep-in?
If you are woken up during a sleep-in shift and have to perform work duties, those specific hours where you are awake and working MUST be paid at your normal hourly rate, and must meet the National Minimum Wage.
Is a waking night paid at a higher rate?
Usually, yes. Waking nights require you to be awake and working the entire shift, so every single hour must be paid at or above the National Minimum Wage. Many care companies offer an 'unsociable hours' premium for waking nights.
Why is my care worker payslip so complicated?
Care worker payslips are complex because they combine standard hourly pay, travel time (which must be paid), mileage allowances, sleep-in flat rates, and waking night premiums. This makes it very easy for payroll errors to occur.