Every UK worker is legally entitled to at least 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year, the statutory holiday entitlement set by the Working Time Regulations. For a full-time employee working five days a week, that equals 28 days. This guide covers the full picture: part-time pro-rata rules, irregular-hours accrual, bank holidays, carry-over limits and what happens to unused leave when you leave your job.
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How Much Annual Leave Are UK Workers Entitled To?
The statutory minimum is 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year. This applies to almost all workers, including agency workers, zero-hours contract holders and part-time staff. Apprentices, members of the armed forces and share fishermen are among the limited exceptions.
For a five-day-a-week worker, 5.6 weeks works out to exactly 28 days. The law caps statutory entitlement at 28 days, so someone working six days a week still receives 28 days rather than 33.6.
Your employer can offer more than the statutory minimum through your contract of employment, but never less. Any leave above 28 days is contractual rather than statutory, and different rules may apply to how it is carried over or paid out.
Part-Time Annual Leave: The Pro-Rata Calculation
Part-time workers receive the same 5.6 weeks, calculated pro-rata based on the number of days they work each week. The formula is straightforward: multiply your working days per week by 5.6.
A worker doing three days a week is entitled to 16.8 days of annual leave. The 28-day cap still applies, so anyone working five days or more reaches the same ceiling. The table below shows the entitlement for each common working pattern.
| Days Worked Per Week | Annual Leave Entitlement (Days) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6 |
| 2 | 11.2 |
| 3 | 16.8 |
| 4 | 22.4 |
| 5 | 28.0 |
| 6 | 28.0 (capped at statutory maximum) |
Irregular Hours and Part-Year Workers: The 12.07% Accrual Rule
For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, workers with irregular hours or part-year contracts accrue annual leave at 12.07% of the hours they actually work in each pay period. This replaced earlier methods that often produced entitlements poorly matched to actual working patterns.
The 12.07% figure comes from dividing 5.6 weeks by 46.4 working weeks (52 minus 5.6). To calculate accrual for a single pay period: take the total hours worked, divide by 100, then multiply by 12.07. Round to the nearest whole hour, with 30 minutes or more rounding up. A worker who logs 80 hours in a month accrues 10 hours of paid leave (80 x 12.07% = 9.66, rounded up).
An irregular-hours worker is someone whose paid hours are wholly or mostly variable under their contract. A part-year worker is required to work only part of the year, with at least one full week when they are not required to work and are not paid. Seasonal staff and term-time school employees are common examples.
Bank Holidays: Are They Part of Your 28 Days?
There is no automatic legal right to take bank holidays off with pay. England and Wales have eight bank holidays each year, Scotland has nine, and Northern Ireland has ten.
Your employer can count bank holidays as part of your 28-day statutory entitlement. Under that arrangement a full-time worker has 20 days to schedule freely, with the remaining eight fixed on bank holidays. Many employers offer bank holidays on top of the statutory 28, giving a total of 36 days. Your contract of employment or staff handbook will confirm which arrangement applies.
Accrual in Your First Year of Employment
Annual leave starts accruing from day one of employment. In your first year, entitlement is pro-rata based on how much of the leave year has elapsed.
If you start halfway through the leave year, you are entitled to half your full annual allowance. Employers cannot require you to wait before using accrued leave, though they can set reasonable notice requirements and restrict certain dates.
Carrying Over Unused Annual Leave
From 1 January 2024, updated carry-over rules apply under the Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023. The basic 4 weeks of leave (20 days for full-time workers, derived from EU law) still cannot normally be carried forward. The additional 1.6 weeks (8 days for full-time workers) can be carried over if your employer agrees.
Special provisions apply when you could not use your leave for specific reasons. Workers prevented from taking leave due to sickness may carry forward up to 20 days and must use them within 18 months. Those unable to take leave because of maternity, adoption or other family-related leave may carry forward up to 28 days into the following leave year.
| Reason Leave Was Not Taken | Maximum Carry-Over | Deadline to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Employer agreement (1.6 weeks portion) | 8 days (full-time equivalent) | End of following leave year |
| Sickness prevented taking leave | Up to 20 days | 18 months from end of leave year |
| Maternity, adoption or family leave | Up to 28 days | End of following leave year |
Pay for Unused Leave When You Leave a Job
When your employment ends, your employer must pay you for any untaken statutory annual leave. This applies regardless of the reason for leaving, including dismissal for gross misconduct.
Payment is calculated pro-rata based on how far through the leave year you are at your leaving date. If you have taken more leave than you had accrued, your employer can only deduct the overpayment from your final pay if this was agreed in advance in writing, typically in your employment contract.
Rolled-Up Holiday Pay Explained
Rolled-up holiday pay means adding a 12.07% uplift to each payment instead of paying full wages separately when leave is taken. For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, this method is lawful for irregular-hours and part-year workers.
The 12.07% must appear as a separate itemised line on the payslip. The calculation uses the worker's complete pay for each period, including any premium rates for unsocial hours or overtime. This approach gives workers clear visibility of the holiday pay they accumulate and can simplify payroll for employers with variable-hours staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days of annual leave do full-time UK workers get? Full-time workers on a five-day week are entitled to 28 days (5.6 weeks) of paid annual leave per year. This is the statutory maximum. Your employer may include bank holidays within these 28 days or offer them on top.
Can my employer include bank holidays in my annual leave? Yes. There is no separate legal right to paid bank holidays. Your employer can include all eight England and Wales bank holidays within your 28-day statutory entitlement, leaving 20 days to take at other times.
How is annual leave calculated for part-time workers? Multiply the number of days you work each week by 5.6. A three-day-a-week worker gets 16.8 days per year. The entitlement is capped at 28 days regardless of how many days you work.
What does the 12.07% holiday accrual rate mean? For irregular-hours and part-year workers with leave years starting from 1 April 2024, annual leave accrues at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period. The rate is 5.6 weeks divided by 46.4 working weeks. Working 100 hours in a month gives 12.07 hours of accrued leave.
Can I carry over unused annual leave to the next year? The additional 1.6 weeks (8 days for full-time workers) can be carried over with your employer's agreement. The basic 4 weeks cannot normally be carried forward. Exceptions apply if you were unable to take leave due to sickness (up to 20 days, use within 18 months) or maternity and family leave (up to 28 days).
Do I accrue annual leave while on sick leave or maternity leave? Yes. You continue to build up your full statutory annual leave entitlement during sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave and adoption leave.
Am I paid for unused holiday when I leave my job? Your employer must pay you for any untaken statutory leave when your employment ends. This applies even in cases of gross misconduct dismissal. If you took more leave than you had accrued, your employer can only deduct the excess from final pay if your contract allows it.
Related Calculators
Annual Leave Calculator | Holiday Pay Calculator | Holiday Entitlement Calculator | Term Time Only Salary | Accrued Holiday Pay Calculator | Bank Holiday Pay Calculator | Irregular Hours Holiday Pay Calculator | Pro Rata Holiday Pay Calculator
Related Guides
Working Time Regulations | Maternity Pay Guide | Employer NI Guide
Official Sources
Figures are based on 2026/27 published UK government rates. This guide is general information only and not financial advice. Last checked September 2026.
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