Revealed: West Yorkshire workers pocket almost £750 a year on the loo – The surprising value of UK bathroom breaks

According to new research¹ from luxury bathroom retailer Sanctuary Bathrooms, employees in Yorkshire earn an average of £738.59 per year just from time spent on the toilet at work, ranking in the top 10 highest toilet earners by 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 £34,401 in Yorkshire and The Humber, that means workers in Leeds are effectively earning just under £2.92 per working day while in the bathroom, totalling over £738.59 annually, which could fund 220 coffees (almost one for every working day of the year) or 135 pints, covering almost three Friday night drinks every week.

That time on the loo could also pay for over five four of Netflix6, 15 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!

Yorkshire secures a top 10 spot 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:

1. London - £1018.86
2. South East - £838.15
3. Scotland - £822.63
4. East - £793.30
5. South West - £765.06
6. North West - £755.10
7. West Midlands - £750.12
8. Yorkshire and the Humber - £738.59
9. Northern Ireland - £738.10
10. Wales - £736.49
11. East Midlands - £729.40
12. 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 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 workers in Yorkshire effectively earning over £738 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