Most UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave each leave year. For a five-day worker, that is 28 days. For regular part-time staff, multiply the days they work each week by 5.6. Bank holidays may be included or given on top.
What is statutory annual leave entitlement?
Statutory annual leave is the minimum paid holiday most UK workers must receive. GOV.UK and ACAS both describe the core entitlement as 5.6 weeks of paid holiday each year. For someone working five days a week, that works out as 28 days.
This applies to workers, not just permanent employees. That matters for casual staff, agency workers, zero-hours workers and many other people who may not think of themselves as traditional employees.
The annual leave formula
For staff with a regular weekly pattern, the formula is simple:
So a worker who works three days a week gets 16.8 days of statutory annual leave:
Annual leave examples by working pattern
These are the core examples employers reach for most often. For deeper guidance, use the dedicated part-time holiday entitlement guide or the part-time holiday calculator.
| Working pattern | Calculation | Statutory entitlement | Useful next page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time, 5 days | 5 × 5.6 | 28 days | Annual leave calculator |
| Part-time, 4 days | 4 × 5.6 | 22.4 days | Four-day week guide |
| Part-time, 3 days | 3 × 5.6 | 16.8 days | Part-time entitlement guide |
| Six days per week | 6 × 5.6 = 33.6, capped | 28 days statutory minimum | Check the calculation |
| Fixed hours | Weekly hours × 5.6 | Hours equivalent | Use hours mode |
New starters and leavers
The cleanest way to handle starters and leavers is to calculate the full-year entitlement first, then pro-rate it for the part of the leave year worked. The official GOV.UK calculator covers both full leave years and part leave years where someone starts or finishes part way through the year.
For regular-hours staff, leave begins building from the start of employment. Use the new starter holiday entitlement guide for examples based on start date and leave year.
When someone leaves, compare the holiday they have built up with what they have already taken. Use the leaver holiday pay calculator or read the unused annual leave when someone leaves guide.
Irregular hours, zero-hours and part-year workers
Irregular-hours and part-year workers need extra care because the rules changed for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024. The GOV.UK holiday pay and entitlement reforms explain that statutory holiday entitlement for these workers accrues at 12.07% of hours worked in a pay period.
That means a zero-hours worker who works 70 hours in a pay period would accrue 8.4 hours of statutory holiday before rounding rules are applied. ACAS gives examples of this 12.07% approach for irregular-hours workers.
How bank holidays fit into annual leave
There is no separate legal right to paid bank holidays on top of statutory annual leave. Bank holidays can be included within the 5.6 weeks or offered in addition. The contract or holiday policy should make this clear.
The practical headache is part-time fairness. If full-time staff receive bank holidays, part-time staff should usually receive a pro-rata equivalent so they are not disadvantaged because bank holidays fall on days they do not normally work. Read the UK bank holidays 2026 and 2027 guide or use the working days calculator when dates matter.
| Policy wording | What it usually means | Employer risk |
|---|---|---|
| 28 days including bank holidays | Bank holidays are deducted from the total allowance. | Make sure part-time staff get a fair pro-rata equivalent. |
| 20 days plus bank holidays | Bank holidays sit on top for a five-day worker. | Part-time treatment must still be clear and consistent. |
| Contractual allowance plus bank holidays | The employer offers more than the statutory minimum. | State whether extra days can be carried forward or paid on leaving. |
Carry forward, sickness and statutory leave
In a normal year, most employers want staff to take holiday within the leave year. But carry-forward rules matter where a worker cannot take holiday because of sickness or statutory leave, or where the employer has not given a reasonable opportunity to take it.
ACAS explains that workers on long-term sick leave can carry over up to four weeks of holiday and must use it within 18 months from the end of the leave year in which it accrued. ACAS also confirms that holiday continues to accrue during statutory maternity leave, including bank holidays.
Employer checklist: how to get entitlement right
Annual leave entitlement is not just a calculation. It is a record-keeping and communication process. ACAS now highlights that from 6 April 2026 employers must keep annual leave and holiday pay records for at least six years, so your system needs to be clear enough to stand up later.
For policy wording, start with the company leave policy guide. For tracking, the manage staff holidays without spreadsheets guide explains why spreadsheets usually break first around part-time staff, bank holidays and leavers.
Common annual leave entitlement mistakes
Bank holidays can be included in statutory leave. The contract decides whether they are included or additional.
A six-day worker does not get 33.6 statutory days. The statutory minimum is capped at 28 days.
From April 2024 leave years, irregular-hours and part-year workers have specific accrual rules.
Leaver calculations are much easier if allowance, leave taken and approvals have been tracked throughout the year.
Related annual leave guides and tools
This page is the main hub. Use these supporting pages when you need the detailed version of a specific scenario.
Sources
| Source | What it supports |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK · Holiday entitlement | 5.6 weeks, 28-day entitlement, bank holidays and statutory holiday basics. |
| GOV.UK · Calculate holiday entitlement | Official calculator for full leave years, part leave years and accrued holiday. |
| ACAS · Checking holiday entitlement | Formula for regular working patterns and practical employer guidance. |
| ACAS · Bank holidays and Christmas | How bank holidays interact with statutory holiday entitlement. |
| GOV.UK · Holiday pay and entitlement reforms | April 2024 changes for irregular-hours and part-year workers. |
| ACAS · Irregular hours and part-year workers | 12.07% accrual examples and practical rules. |
| ACAS · Carrying over holiday | Carry-forward guidance, including long-term sickness and 18-month use rule. |
| ACAS · Holiday and maternity leave | Holiday accrual during maternity leave, including bank holidays. |
| ACAS · Employment Rights Act 2025 | Holiday record-keeping requirements from 6 April 2026. |
| ACAS · Keeping holiday records | Six-year annual leave and holiday pay record-keeping duty from 6 April 2026. |
| Working Time Regulations 1998 · Regulation 13 | Statutory annual leave framework and carry-forward provisions. |
| Working Time Regulations 1998 · Regulation 13A | Additional annual leave framework. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the statutory annual leave entitlement in the UK?
Most UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday each leave year. For someone working five days a week, that is 28 days. The statutory entitlement is capped at 28 days, although employers can offer more contractually.
How do you calculate annual leave entitlement?
For a regular weekly working pattern, multiply the number of days worked each week by 5.6. For example, three days a week multiplied by 5.6 gives 16.8 days. For fixed-hour contracts, multiply weekly hours by 5.6 to get the equivalent entitlement in hours.
Are bank holidays included in annual leave entitlement?
Bank holidays can be included in the 5.6 weeks or given on top. The contract or holiday policy should say which approach applies. If bank holidays are included, they come out of the worker's total annual leave allowance rather than being extra days.
How do you calculate holiday for a new starter?
Start with the full-year entitlement, then pro-rate it for the part of the leave year they will work. Employers can also use a first-year accrual system, where regular-hours workers build up one twelfth of their leave each month.
How do you calculate holiday for a leaver?
Work out how much of the leave year has passed by the leaving date, apply that fraction to the annual entitlement, then compare it with holiday already taken. If they have unused accrued holiday, they should usually be paid for it in their final pay.
Do irregular-hours and part-year workers use the same calculation?
Not always. For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers generally accrue statutory holiday at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period, subject to the detailed holiday pay and entitlement rules.