Employment laws

shun

I currently work 37.5 hours in a job and have been offered a 16 hour job at the weekend by a different employer is this ok as I have read the maximum you can work a week is 48 hours, please help. 

General_Grant

You can work as many hours as you like.  
The 48-hour maximum is the most that an employer can require you to work - you can opt out of that.  Also it is an average - so some weeks you can work, say, 50 hours, but the average is still below 48.

Whether you can take on the weekend work for another employer depends on what your current employer requires.  Is there a condition in your written particulars of employment (including in the staff handbook) which says you have to have their permission to do work elsewhere (that's any work, not just work which would take you over 48 hours)?

In fact, does your current employment written contract include a statement that you have opted out of the 48-hour week?  Often that is written in the papers because it makes it easier for an employer.