Bank holidays for part-time staff are worked out pro-rata: multiply the number of bank holidays full-timers get by the part-timer's fraction of a full week. On the 8 England and Wales bank holidays, a 3-day-a-week worker is due 4.8 days (0.6 × 8). This only applies where full-timers get bank holidays as paid leave. Where the maths gives a fraction, round up, never down.
How this calculator works
There is no automatic right to bank holidays off in the UK, paid or unpaid. But under the Part-time Workers Regulations 2000, a part-timer cannot be treated less favourably than a comparable full-timer. So when full-time staff receive bank holidays as paid leave, part-time staff must get a proportional share. The calculation is the part-timer's working fraction applied to the full-time bank holiday allowance.
Start with the full-time bank holiday allowance
Take the number of bank holidays a full-time employee receives as paid leave. England and Wales have 8 a year, Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10. If your full-timers only get some of them, use that number instead.
Work out the part-timer's fraction of a full week
Divide the part-timer's working days per week by the full-time days per week. Someone on 3 days out of a 5-day full week is 0.6 of a full-timer; someone on 2 days is 0.4; someone on 4 days is 0.8.
Apply the fraction to the bank holidays
Multiply the full-time bank holiday allowance by that fraction. At 8 bank holidays, a 0.6 worker is due 4.8 days, a 0.4 worker 3.2 days and a 0.8 worker 6.4 days.
Add to the pot, and round up if you track whole days
The cleanest approach is to add the pro-rata bank holiday days to the part-timer's annual allowance so they take them whenever they like. If you keep the register in whole days, round the result up, never down. Tracking in hours removes the rounding question entirely.
Worked examples
Each card loads its inputs into the calculator above. They assume the 8 England and Wales bank holidays and a five-day full-time week unless stated.
The two contract approaches
How bank holidays interact with the allowance depends on the wording of the contract. The pro-rata duty is the same either way; what changes is whether the days sit inside the allowance or on top of it.
| Approach | What the contract says | How it works for part-timers |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusive | "28 days including bank holidays" | Bank holidays sit inside the 5.6-week pro-rata entitlement, so there is nothing extra to add. Check the total still meets the statutory minimum. |
| On top | "20 days plus bank holidays" | Part-timers get a pro-rata share of the bank holiday days added to their annual leave, calculated as above. |
UK bank holiday dates 2026 and 2027
The pro-rata share is applied to whichever nation's bank holidays your full-timers receive. England and Wales have 8, shown below. Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10; the full dated tables for every nation are in our UK bank holidays 2026 and 2027 guide.
| Bank holiday | 2026 (England & Wales) | 2027 (England & Wales) |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu 1 Jan | Fri 1 Jan |
| Good Friday | Fri 3 Apr | Fri 26 Mar |
| Easter Monday | Mon 6 Apr | Mon 29 Mar |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 4 May | Mon 3 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 25 May | Mon 31 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 31 Aug | Mon 30 Aug |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 Dec | Mon 27 Dec (substitute) |
| Boxing Day | Mon 28 Dec (substitute) | Tue 28 Dec (substitute) |
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate bank holidays for part-time workers?
Are part-time staff entitled to bank holidays?
How many bank holidays does a 3-day-a-week worker get?
What if a part-timer never works the day a bank holiday falls on?
Should bank holidays be added to the allowance or given as they fall?
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Sources
Primary UK sources for every rule and figure in this calculator. Statutory rules and bank holiday dates were last checked against GOV.UK on 12 July 2026.
| Source | What it confirms |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK · UK bank holidays | 8 bank holidays in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland, 10 in Northern Ireland; the 2026 and 2027 dates |
| GOV.UK · Holiday entitlement | No automatic right to paid time off on a bank holiday; bank holidays can count towards the 5.6 weeks |
| ACAS · Checking holiday entitlement | Pro-rata approach for part-time workers and bank holidays |
| Part-time Workers Regulations 2000 | Part-timers cannot be treated less favourably; basis of the pro-rata duty and round-up rule |