All UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year (28 days for someone working a 5-day week). The calculation: days per week × 5.6 = annual leave days, capped at 28. Bank holidays may or may not be included depending on the contract, and entitlement starts from day one of employment.
The calculator above does the maths. The rest of this guide explains where every number comes from, the rules behind the formula, and the mistakes that catch employers out most often.
The statutory minimum
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, almost all UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year. For someone working a standard 5-day week, that works out to 28 days.
This is the legal floor, not the ceiling. An employer can offer more than 28 days (and many do), but they can never offer less. The entitlement starts from day one of employment - there is no qualifying period. (Source: ACAS)
The formula
The calculation is straightforward. Multiply the number of days someone works each week by 5.6.
If you prefer to track in hours rather than days (which is often clearer for staff with variable shift lengths), multiply weekly hours by 5.6 instead - so a 30-hour-per-week worker gets 168 hours of paid leave per year.
Worked examples
Here is how that formula plays out for different working patterns. For a deeper dive on part-time staff specifically, see our complete guide to part-time holiday entitlement.
Zero-hours and irregular workers
For workers without fixed hours (zero-hours contracts, casual, or wholly variable patterns), annual leave is calculated as 12.07% of hours worked. So if someone works 100 hours in a pay period, they accrue 12.07 hours of paid leave. This method was formalised by the holiday pay reforms introduced in January 2024.
For irregular hours and part-year workers (think term-time staff or seasonal workers), employers can also use rolled-up holiday pay: a 12.07% uplift added to each pay packet, clearly itemised on the payslip, in lieu of paid time off when leave is actually taken.
Mid-year starters
When someone joins partway through the leave year, their entitlement is pro-rated based on how much of the year remains.
Example: joining on 1 July
5 × 5.6 = 28 days
6 ÷ 12 = 50%
The employee is entitled to 14 days for the remainder of that leave year.
Alternatively, employers can use the simpler monthly accrual method: one-twelfth of the annual entitlement for each complete month worked. For a 28-day entitlement, that is 2.33 days per month. (Source: GOV.UK)
Bank holidays
A common point of confusion: there is no automatic right to paid time off on bank holidays in the UK. Whether bank holidays count as part of the 5.6 weeks or sit on top depends entirely on what the employment contract says.
Two typical approaches:
| Approach | How it works | Total days off |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusive | Bank holidays are part of the 28 days. The contract might say "28 days including bank holidays". | 28 |
| On top | Bank holidays are in addition. The contract says "20 days plus bank holidays". | 28 + 8 = 36 |
The number of bank holidays also varies across the UK. For the full list of dates for 2026 and 2027, see our complete UK bank holidays guide.
Carry forward rules
The default position under UK law is that the first 4 weeks of entitlement (20 days for a full-time worker, known as "Regulation 13 leave") must be taken within the leave year and cannot be carried forward. The remaining 1.6 weeks (8 days, "Regulation 13A leave") can be carried forward by written agreement between employer and worker.
However, there are exceptions where untaken leave can be carried forward without restriction:
- The worker was on long-term sick leave and could not take their entitlement (up to 20 days can carry over for regular-hours workers, valid for 18 months)
- The worker was on maternity, paternity, adoption, or other family-related leave
- The employer did not give the worker a reasonable opportunity to take their leave
- The employer did not inform the worker that untaken leave would be lost
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Why it's wrong |
|---|---|
| Rounding down part-day entitlements | In the first year of employment, employers must round up to the nearest half day. 22.4 becomes 22.5, not 22. Per ACAS. |
| Assuming bank holidays are extra | Check the contract. "28 days including bank holidays" means the 8 bank holidays are part of the 28, not on top. |
| Not pro-rating for part-time workers | Part-time staff get the same 5.6 weeks, not the same 28 days. A 3-day worker gets 16.8 days, not 28. |
| Forgetting leavers' pay | When someone leaves, you must pay them for any accrued but untaken holiday. If they've taken more than they've earned, you can only deduct it if the contract says so. Our leaver pay guide walks through the calculation with examples. |
| Using calendar days instead of working days | Annual leave is always counted in working days. A week off for a 3-day worker uses 3 days of entitlement, not 7. |
| Treating zero-hours staff like fixed-pattern workers | Since April 2024, irregular hours workers accrue at 12.07% of hours worked - not on a days × 5.6 basis. |
Sources
Every claim in this guide is drawn from official UK government and statutory sources. If you are dealing with a complex case, go directly to these:
| Source | What it covers |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK - Holiday entitlement | The 5.6-week statutory minimum, the 28-day cap, and bank holiday rules. |
| GOV.UK - Calculate leave entitlement | Pro-rata calculations for part-time, irregular hours, and mid-year starters. |
| GOV.UK - Holiday entitlement calculator | Official calculator for all working patterns. |
| GOV.UK - Taking holiday before leaving | The rules on accrued holiday pay when someone leaves. |
| GOV.UK - 2024 holiday reforms | The 12.07% accrual method and rolled-up holiday pay rules. |
| ACAS - Checking holiday entitlement | Practical guidance on the days × 5.6 formula and rounding rules. |
| Working Time Regulations 1998 | The statutory framework for paid annual leave. |
| Part-time Workers Regulations 2000 | Less favourable treatment rules for part-time staff. |
| nidirect - Northern Ireland | Holiday rules and the 10 NI bank holidays. |
Frequently asked questions
The questions UK employers and staff ask most often about annual leave entitlement.
How many days holiday am I entitled to in the UK?
Almost all UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year. For someone working a standard 5-day week this is 28 days. The statutory entitlement is capped at 28 days, even for those working 6 or 7 days a week.
Do bank holidays count as part of annual leave in the UK?
There is no automatic legal right to paid time off on bank holidays. Whether they count as part of the 5.6 weeks or sit on top depends entirely on the employment contract. A contract saying "28 days including bank holidays" folds them in; "20 days plus bank holidays" adds them on top.
Does annual leave entitlement start from day one of employment?
Yes. Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, statutory holiday entitlement accrues from day one of employment. There is no qualifying period. New starters can request leave from their first day, though most employers ask new joiners to wait through probation as a matter of policy.
What is the difference between Regulation 13 and Regulation 13A leave?
Regulation 13 leave is the original 4 weeks (20 days) from EU Working Time Directive law. Regulation 13A leave is the additional 1.6 weeks (8 days) added by UK statute. The distinction matters for carry forward: Regulation 13 leave generally cannot be carried forward, while Regulation 13A leave can be by written agreement.
How do I calculate holiday for someone who started mid-year?
Pro-rate the full annual entitlement by the fraction of the leave year worked. For example, joining on 1 July with a 28-day full-year entitlement gives 14 days for the rest of the year (28 × 6/12). The simpler monthly accrual method gives 1/12 of annual entitlement per complete month worked - for 28 days, that is 2.33 days per month.
Can my employer round my annual leave entitlement down?
No. Per ACAS guidance, employers must round part-day entitlements up, especially during the first year of employment. So 22.4 days becomes 22.5 days, not 22. Rounding down is a breach of statutory entitlement and could give rise to an unlawful deduction of wages claim.