No break at work..?

[CannotThinkOfAWittyNameChange]

Namechanged as I’ve posted about my current job before on MN.

I’m currently job-hunting. Been interviewed for a role I really like, working 30 hours per week, 9am-3pm Mon-Fri. So, 6 hours per day. I’d have killed for those hours when my children were younger. Having googled, the .gov.uk website says if you work 6 hours or less you don’t have a right to a break. Can I ask when you’re supposed to eat lunch?! And does anyone have any tips on how to negotiate for a proper break (unpaid) and also how to negotiate for 4 days per week rather than 5? I don’t want to come across as fussy or rude, but I don’t know how to broach it with people who hardly know me. Should I raise it at the second interview, or wait and see if they actually offer me the role and ask then?

Background info: I’m not a spring chicken, which is obvious at interview, and I simply don’t have the energy to work 5 days per week any longer. I’m also autistic and need the downtime. When I saw the job advertised I assumed that the 30 hours per week would be split over 4 days but they apparently want cover on all 5.

I’m in England btw.

Thank you 🙏

Is this an office-based role or are you on your feet a lot? I'm office-based and we have staff working 6hrs, no break - they choose to do that rather than work any longer which forces an unpaid 20mins, so they just eat lunch while working then leave at 3pm.
It's not for everyone but I think is quite common.

I work 6 hours , I get a 15 min break although I usually work 6 hrs 15 to make up for fact it’s unpaid , although i do super early mornings ( 4am start supermarket ) and have a coffee and maybe toast / cereal whatever time suits me, usually around 8.30 . Could you eat just before you start and then have a snack before heading home ?

Is the job one where you can leave on time or could you be stuck serving customers or dealing with enquiries on the phone for example? If so you could make the case that it would be better for you to have a break rather than leave halfway through helping a customer.

For example all the retail jobs I have had have offered breaks for 6 hour shifts to then cover their backs if you end up having to stay back even for a short time.

That’s not true. 6 hours and under means no break. Over 6 hours 20 min break. I work 6 hours a day with no break. If I was to take a break I would need to work 6 hours and 20 mins (civil service)

Then I think you refer back to that advertisement, rather than focusing on the '6 hours without a break' thing.

As you are aware, employers only HAVE to give you a break if you work OVER 6 hours. However, it really depends what the role is. As a pp said, many of us would choose to eat our lunch at our desk as we work and leave 1/2 hour early if it were a desk based job, but that's not going to be possible if you were a nurse in A&E for example. Lots of jobs mean that where these is no official break, you can still get yourself a brew and eat a sandwich whilst you work. Without knowing the circumstances, we can't really comment on whether it is reasonable or not.