Working 4 days a week before retirement

Four kinds of 4-day week

“Four-day week” means different things, and the difference matters for your pay.

Before retirement, most people are thinking about part-time: fewer hours for less pay, in exchange for time back. That is what this guide covers.

What it does to your pay

Your gross pay falls in proportion to your days, but your take-home falls by less. The pay you give up is the top slice of your salary, which is taxed most, while your personal allowance stays the same.

For example, on a £45,000 salary in England with a 5% pension contribution, take-home falls from about £34,120 to £28,000 a year at four days. That keeps about 82% of take-home pay for 80% of the hours, at a cost of around £510 a month.

Pension, holidays and State Pension

• Workplace pension: contributions are usually a percentage of pay, so yours and your employer’s both fall. Over several years that adds up, so factor it into your plan.
• Final salary schemes: part-time service is usually counted pro rata. The rules vary, so ask your scheme before you change hours, especially close to retirement.
• Holidays: the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks becomes at least 22.4 days on four days a week, which can include bank holidays.
• State Pension: as long as you earn above the National Insurance lower earnings limit, each year still counts as a qualifying year. Check yours with the State Pension calculator.

How to ask your employer

Since 6 April 2024, every employee in Great Britain can make a statutory flexible working request from their first day in a job.

1. Put it in writing. Say it is a statutory flexible working request, the change you want, and when you would like it to start.
2. Make it easy to say yes. Suggest which day, how your work will be covered, and what handover or cover you can set up.
3. Offer a trial. A three-month trial with a review date lowers the risk for your employer.
4. Know the rules. You can make two requests in any 12 months. Your employer must consult you before refusing, can only refuse for one of eight business reasons set out in law, and must decide within two months unless you agree longer.

A permanent change to part-time is a change to your contract, so check the new terms for pay, pension and holidays before you sign.

Which day to drop

• Friday: three-day weekends every week, and the most popular choice. It can also be the hardest day to protect, because it is when the week’s loose ends land.
• Monday: the same long weekend, with a gentler start to the week. Most bank holidays fall on Mondays, so check how your holiday is pro-rated.
• Wednesday: never more than two days in a row at work. Good for energy, less good for trips away.

Whatever you choose, decide what the day is for. A free day with no plan has a way of filling up with life admin and email.

Questions people ask