Holiday Entitlement UK: How Many Days Off Are You Entitled To?

Understanding holiday entitlement UK rules is important for employees, workers and employers who want to know how much paid annual leave someone is legally entitled to receive. Whether you work full-time, part-time, on a zero-hours contract or under a seasonal arrangement, your holiday entitlement depends on your working pattern and the applicable employment rules.

In the UK, almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave each year. For someone working five days a week, this usually means a minimum of 28 days of paid holiday. However, bank holidays can be included in this allowance, and the calculation may differ for part-time workers, people with irregular hours and those who work only part of the year.

This guide explains how holiday entitlement works, how to calculate your annual leave, what happens when you change jobs, and what UK employment law says about holiday pay, bank holidays and carrying unused leave forward.

What Is Holiday Entitlement in the UK?

Holiday entitlement is the amount of paid time off a worker is legally entitled to take from work each year.

The legal minimum is generally 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave under the Working Time Regulations. Employers can offer more generous arrangements through an employment contract or workplace policy.

The statutory entitlement applies to almost all workers, including many agency workers, part-time workers, zero-hours workers and people with irregular working patterns.

The exact amount of leave depends on how many days or hours someone works and how their employment is arranged.

For official information, read the GOV.UK guide to holiday entitlement.

How Many Days of Holiday Are You Entitled to in the UK?

The standard statutory entitlement is 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year.

For a worker who works five days each week, this normally equals 28 days of paid annual leave.

Here is how the minimum entitlement works for different regular working patterns.

These figures are calculated by multiplying the number of working days per week by 5.6.

For example, someone working three days a week would normally receive at least 16.8 days of paid annual leave each year.

Where calculations produce fractions of a day, employers should apply appropriate calculation and rounding arrangements.

Is 28 Days of Annual Leave the Legal Minimum?

For most workers who work five days a week, 28 days is the minimum statutory annual leave entitlement.

However, the law limits statutory paid holiday to 28 days. Someone who works six days a week does not automatically receive 33.6 days of statutory leave.

Employers can offer more than the statutory minimum, but the additional contractual entitlement depends on the employment agreement.

Does Holiday Entitlement Include Bank Holidays?

Yes, employers can include bank holidays within the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave.

This means that a full-time worker entitled to 28 days of annual leave may receive a total allowance that includes bank holidays such as Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Easter Monday.

Some employers provide bank holidays on top of the statutory minimum, but this is not a general legal requirement.

For example, an employment contract might provide:

The applicable arrangement should be explained in the employment contract or workplace holiday policy.

You can read more in Acas guidance on bank holidays and Christmas.

What If a Bank Holiday Falls on Your Normal Day Off?

If a bank holiday falls on a day you do not normally work, your employer cannot automatically require you to use that non-working day as part of your holiday entitlement.

For example, a part-time employee who works Tuesday to Thursday should not automatically lose a day’s annual leave because a bank holiday falls on Monday.

Employers should calculate entitlement fairly according to working patterns and the applicable holiday arrangements.

How Is Holiday Entitlement Calculated for Part-Time Workers?

Part-time workers generally receive 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, calculated according to their regular working pattern.

Although the number of days is lower than for a five-day worker, the entitlement is proportionate.

For example, consider an employee who works three days per week.

The calculation is:

3 working days × 5.6 weeks = 16.8 days of annual leave.

This provides the same number of weeks of holiday as a full-time worker, adjusted for the employee’s normal working pattern.

Part-Time Holiday Entitlement Examples

A person working four days each week would normally receive 22.4 days of annual leave.

Someone working two days each week would normally receive 11.2 days.

These calculations assume a regular working pattern throughout the leave year. Workers with variable hours or part-year arrangements may need a different calculation method.

Holiday Entitlement for Zero-Hours and Irregular-Hours Workers

Workers on zero-hours contracts or with irregular working hours may still be entitled to statutory paid holiday.

Their entitlement depends on their employment status and working arrangements, not simply on whether their contract guarantees a fixed number of hours.

For leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024, eligible irregular-hours and part-year workers accrue statutory holiday using a specific calculation based on hours worked.

The standard accrual rate is 12.07% of hours worked in the relevant pay period, subject to the applicable rules.

For example, if an eligible worker works 30 hours in a pay period:

30 hours × 12.07% = approximately 3.62 hours of holiday accrued.

The applicable rounding rules must then be followed.

Employers should check the relevant rules carefully because eligibility depends on the worker’s contractual arrangements and the leave year concerned.

The GOV.UK holiday entitlement calculator can help estimate entitlement.

Holiday Entitlement for Workers Who Work Part of the Year

Some people work only during certain periods of the year. Examples include seasonal employees and some term-time workers.

Eligible part-year workers may accrue holiday according to the statutory rules for their working arrangements.

For leave years beginning on or after 1 April 2024, the specific accrual method generally applies to eligible part-year workers, using 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period.

However, not every employee who works fewer hours during certain months automatically qualifies as a part-year worker. The contractual arrangements and periods when the person is not required to work and is unpaid are important.

Employers should use the appropriate calculation method for the worker’s circumstances.

What Happens If You Start a New Job Partway Through the Year?

If you start a job after the beginning of your employer’s leave year, your holiday entitlement for that year will usually be adjusted to reflect the period you work.

For example, suppose your annual entitlement is 28 days and you start approximately halfway through the leave year.

Your entitlement for the remainder of that year may be around 14 days, depending on the calculation method and exact start date.

Annual leave generally begins to accrue from the start of employment.

Your employer should explain the leave year and how your entitlement is calculated.

For further details, read the GOV.UK guidance on calculating holiday entitlement.

What Happens to Holiday Entitlement When You Leave a Job?

If you leave your job, your employer should calculate your holiday entitlement up to your leaving date.

If you have accrued paid holiday that you have not taken, you will generally be entitled to payment for the unused statutory holiday in your final pay.

For example, if you have accrued 15 days of holiday but taken only 10 days by your leaving date, you may be entitled to payment for the remaining five days.

The exact calculation depends on your entitlement, the leave you have taken and the applicable employment arrangements.

If you have taken more holiday than you have accrued, your employer may only be able to deduct the relevant amount from your final pay where the required contractual or other legal basis exists.

You can find further information in Acas guidance on asking for and taking holiday.

Can Your Employer Refuse Your Holiday Request?

Yes, an employer can refuse a particular holiday request or cancel previously approved leave in certain circumstances, provided they follow the applicable rules.

For example, an employer may need to consider staffing levels, business operations or other workplace requirements.

However, employers must ensure that workers can take their statutory holiday entitlement. They cannot simply refuse to allow a worker to take any annual leave at all.

The rules also cover notice periods for refusing or cancelling leave and for requiring workers to take holiday on particular dates.

Workers should follow their employer’s holiday booking procedure and seek clarification if they believe their statutory entitlement is not being respected.

The Acas holiday guidance explains the relevant rights and responsibilities.

Can You Carry Unused Holiday Into the Next Year?

Whether unused holiday can be carried forward depends on the circumstances and the applicable rules.

Some employment contracts or workplace agreements allow a limited amount of annual leave to be carried into the next leave year.

There are also circumstances where statutory holiday must be carried over. These can include situations where a worker could not take their leave because of certain types of family-related leave or sickness.

Carry-over rights may also apply if an employer has failed to provide a reasonable opportunity to take holiday or has not properly informed the worker that untaken leave could be lost.

The amount that can be carried forward depends on the circumstances and the worker’s entitlement.

For more information, see Acas guidance on carrying over holiday.

What Is Holiday Pay?

Holiday pay is the pay a worker receives while taking annual leave.

For workers with regular hours and fixed pay, holiday pay will generally reflect the pay they would normally receive if they were working.

For some workers, particularly those with variable pay or irregular hours, calculating holiday pay can involve additional rules and reference periods.

Employers must use the appropriate calculation method for the worker’s circumstances.

Can Your Employer Pay You Instead of Giving You Holiday?

In most cases, employers cannot replace statutory annual leave with a payment while the worker remains employed.

Workers should generally receive their statutory holiday as time off.

An exception applies when employment ends, when unused accrued holiday will normally be paid in the final payment.

Eligible irregular-hours and part-year workers may also receive rolled-up holiday pay under the applicable rules. This involves paying holiday pay alongside normal pay rather than paying it when leave is taken.

The method must meet the relevant legal requirements and should not be assumed to apply to every worker.

Do You Accrue Holiday While on Sick Leave or Parental Leave?

Yes. Workers generally continue to accrue statutory holiday while on sickness absence and certain types of statutory leave, including maternity, paternity and adoption leave.

If a worker cannot take their holiday because of certain types of leave, they may be able to carry the unused entitlement forward.

The precise arrangements depend on the type of leave and the applicable rules.

Employers should ensure that absence does not result in workers losing statutory holiday rights where the law requires the entitlement to be preserved.

How Can Employers Manage Holiday Entitlement Correctly?

Employers should have clear processes for calculating annual leave, approving requests, paying holiday pay and recording time off.

Practical steps include:

Good holiday management can help prevent disputes, support employee wellbeing and improve workforce planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Understanding holiday entitlement UK rules helps employees know their rights and enables employers to manage annual leave fairly and lawfully.

Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday each year, but the number of days depends on their working pattern. Bank holidays may be included, part-time workers receive a proportionate allowance, and irregular-hours or part-year workers may need a different calculation.

It is also important to understand the rules covering holiday pay, requests, carry-over, sickness absence and leaving a job. If you are unsure about your entitlement, review your employment contract and consult official GOV.UK or Acas guidance.

For employers and HR professionals, a clear understanding of employment law can help reduce disputes, improve workplace practices and ensure that workers receive the holiday rights to which they are entitled.