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Britons are contributing £23 billion worth of overtime to UK businesses without being paid in return, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has claimed.

In an effort to publicise the seven hours and six minutes of unpaid overtime worked by the average UK employee every week, the TUC has calculated that workers who get all their unpaid work out of the way at the beginning of the year would not get paid until February 23rd.

Each employer would receive an additional £4,800 if they were paid the average salary in Britain, the TUC claims.

"We still work the longest hours in Europe and too many workplaces are gripped by a long hours culture," TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said.

"We do not want to turn Britain into a nation of clock watchers and few mind putting in extra effort from time to time when it is needed, but it is too easy for extra time to get taken for granted and then expected every week."

Despite the TUC's protestations of unfairness it appears the amounts of overtime worked by British employees has fallen in the past 12 months. Last year's survey found the average worker put in seven hours and 24 minutes of unpaid extra overtime, 18 minutes less than this year.

"There are some small signs that the UK is getting a bit better, but there is still a long way to go," Mr Barber added.