Lunch Breaks - Am I breaking the law?

[Ocean Breeze]

I work 7 hours per day 9-4.30. I am allowed to have a lunch break of 30 or 60 mins. On top of this we get 20 mins paid break, which we can use how we want during the day.

Recently I have not been taking a lunch break and leaving at 4pm. I still use my 20 mins paid break throughout the day. By doing this I gain a whole hour in the evening. I have 4hrs to myself instead of 3.

Some people in the office say this is breaking the law (H&S), but I cannot find anything on the internet to back this up. All I read is if you work more than 6 hours you are ENTITLED to 20 mins break, which I take anyway?? So to me it seems like you have the option to take that lunch break.

I am an office worker.

 

[Ocean Breeze]

I think managers would prefer us to take a lunch break and they know quite few people do this, they just turn a blind eye.

I was just wondering whether they turn around one day and say what you are doing is illegal. This is what the union rep believes they could do.

Contract does not mention anything about breaks.