People in Powys work the longest hours in Wales according to new data

Powys, the largest county in Wales, had the longest working hours with 16.3% of working residents working 49 hours or more. Credit: PA

The people of Powys work the longest hours in Wales according to a new study.

More than 16% of Powys residents work 49 hours or more with Pembrokeshire in second and Ceredigion in third.

Cardiff works the second shortest hours in the country.

The new findings come after census data by the ONS was analysed to find the areas in Wales that work the longest hours based on the percentage of residents working 49 hours or more each week.

Blaeneau Gwent had the shortest working hours. Credit: ITV Wales

Data collection experts SmartSurvey analysed ONS data to find out working patterns in different areas of Wales.

The average in Wales for people working 49 hours or more is 10.59%, lower than England's average of 11.04%.

Powys, the largest county in Wales, also had the longest working hours with 16.3% of working residents working 49 hours or more.

This is nearly double the amount of Blaenau Gwent, who had the shortest working hours with 8.36%

Pembrokeshire ranks second in Wales for the longest working hours, with 14.29% of working residents working 49 hours or more weekly. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

Legally, people in the UK can't be forced to work more than 48 hours per week, averaged over a period of 17 weeks.

This is unless they voluntarily opt out or work in an industry exempt from this law, such as the emergency services or armed forces.

Some industries cannot opt out, such as airline staff.

The study also found that Cardiff works the second shortest hours in Wales, placing 21 out of 22. 8.36% of Cardiff’s working residents work 49 hours or more, a figure 21.01% below the Welsh average.

Here's the top five areas in Wales with longest work hours and the % of workers working 49 or more hours per week:


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