According to new research¹ from luxury bathroom retailer Sanctuary Bathrooms, South East employees earn an average of £838.15 per year just from time spent on the toilet at work, the second highest of any UK region.
The research, which looks at the toilet earnings across different professions and regions, reveals just how much time Brits spend in the bathroom during working hours, and how it adds up financially.
Interestingly, the average UK worker visits the toilet 2.61 times per day, spending 3 minutes 43 seconds per visit² totalling over 40 hours over the course of a year, or an entire typical workweek spent on the toilet.
With an average yearly take-home salary of £39,038 in the South East, that means Southern workers are effectively earning just over £3.31 per working day while in the bathroom, totalling over £838 annually, which could fund 250 coffees (almost one for every working day of the year) or 154 pints, covering almost three Friday night drinks every week.
That time on the loo could also pay for over five years of Netflix, 17 months of gym membership, or even three weekend getaways to Europe for two, proving that toilet breaks might just be the most lucrative moments of the workday!
South East ranks second in the regional lavatory league
While Londoners make the most money while on the loo, annual toilet earnings in the North East are significantly lower, dropping to £708. Employees in the South East earn £838, followed by Scotland at £823, the North West at £755, and Wales at £736.
Regional annual toilet earnings:
- London - £1018.86
- South East - £838.15
- Scotland - £822.63
- East - £793.30
- South West - £765.06
- North West - £755.10
- West Midlands - £750.12
- Yorkshire and the Humber - £738.59
- Northern Ireland - £738.10
- Wales - £736.49
- East Midlands - £729.40
- North East - £707.65
Top job roles for toilet earnings
Some professions spend their time on the toilet more lucratively than others, with Executives and Senior Managers topping the charts, earning a staggering £1,614 per year during their toilet breaks.
Other top earners include:
- Law enforcement: £1,374
- Aviation: £1,362
- IT professionals: £1,345
- Healthcare workers: £1,291
- Legal professionals: £1,275
On the other hand, hospitality and food service workers pocket a more modest £536 per year, while those in warehousing and logistics earn around £567.
The hidden perks of working from home
With more than four in ten UK workers (41%) working remotely at least part of the week, 16% fully from home and 25% in a hybrid setup, the actual time spent on the toilet during working hours could be even higher than reported.
Unlike in-office settings, where employees may feel pressure to keep breaks short, those working from home have more flexibility and may be sneaking in extra scrolling time on the loo. Without a manager keeping an eye on break times, remote workers could be taking longer or more frequent bathroom trips, meaning their real ‘toilet earnings’ might be even higher than the research suggests.
James Roberts, Director of Sanctuary Bathrooms comments: "Our research highlights a humorous yet very real aspect of modern working life. Whether it’s a quick freshen-up or a brief moment of solitude, bathroom breaks are an essential part of the working day. While it might not seem like much on a daily basis, those minutes spent in the loo can add up over the course of a year – with South East workers effectively earning over £838 just by taking a bathroom break.
“At Sanctuary Bathrooms, we understand that well-designed, comfortable facilities can make a genuine difference in the workplace. Although employers might initially grimace at the idea of paid bathroom time, investing in quality facilities can boost motivation and job satisfaction, ultimately benefitting both staff and business in the long run.”
For more information on the nation's toilet earnings, please visit https://www.sanctuary-bathrooms.co.uk/journal/how-much-your-workplace-toilet-time-really-worth-hidden-toilet-tax-workplace