Help & Guidance
Frequently asked questions
Statutory holiday entitlement for employers: full-time, part-time, starters, leavers and bank holidays, based on GOV.UK and Acas guidance.
How much statutory holiday do UK workers get?+
Almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. For someone working 5 days a week that is 28 days. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks in proportion to their days: 3 days a week gives 16.8 days. Statutory paid holiday is capped at 28 days, so someone working 6 days a week still gets 28 days.
How is holiday entitlement calculated for a new starter?+
Someone who starts part way through the leave year gets a proportion of the annual entitlement based on how much of the year is left. Under the GOV.UK accrual convention they accrue one-twelfth of their annual leave in each month, counting the joining month in full, and the result is rounded up to the nearest half day. For example, joining on 13 January with a leave year starting 1 January and 28 days of annual leave gives 2.5 days for January (28 divided by 12 is 2.33, rounded up).
How much holiday does a leaver get?+
A leaver accrues holiday in proportion to the calendar days served in the leave year. The formula is: full annual entitlement multiplied by days employed divided by days in the leave year. For example, 26 weeks served on a 5-day week gives 14 days (28 multiplied by 50%). Any accrued leave not taken by the last day must be paid in lieu, even after dismissal for gross misconduct.
Can an employee be paid instead of taking holiday?+
Only when leaving a job. Payment in lieu of statutory leave is unlawful during employment: the leave must actually be taken. On termination, the employer must pay for any accrued but untaken statutory leave.
Do bank holidays count towards statutory holiday entitlement?+
They can. There is no separate legal right to bank holidays off: an employer can include them within the statutory 5.6 weeks or give them on top, and the contract decides. England and Wales normally have 8 bank holidays, Scotland 9 and Northern Ireland 10. If a bank holiday falls on a day a part-time worker does not usually work, the employer cannot deduct it from their entitlement.
How does holiday entitlement work for part-time workers?+
Part-time workers are entitled to the same 5.6 weeks, pro-rated by the days they work: multiply days per week by 5.6. They must not be treated less favourably than full-time colleagues, so if full-timers get more than the statutory minimum, part-timers must get proportionally more too. Part days cannot be rounded down, and in the first year of employment they must be rounded up to the nearest half day.
How does holiday accrue for irregular hours and zero-hours workers?+
For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular hours and part-year workers accrue leave at 12.07% of the hours worked in each pay period, rounded up to the nearest hour from 0.5. For example, 30 hours worked in a week gives 4 hours of leave (30 multiplied by 12.07% is 3.621). The accrued leave can be taken from the next pay period.
What is the first-year accrual system?+
During the first year of employment, an employer can limit leave to what has built up so far: one-twelfth of the annual entitlement per month. After 3 months, someone with 28 days a year would have accrued 7 days. From the second year the full entitlement is available from the start of each leave year.
When does the leave year start?+
The dates should be in the contract, commonly 1 January or 6 April. If nothing is set out, the leave year starts on the first day of the job. For leave years running 1 April to 31 March, note that the number of bank holidays in the year can vary depending on when Easter falls.
What records must employers keep?+
From 6 April 2026, employers must keep detailed records of annual leave and holiday pay, such as days taken and amounts paid, for a minimum of 6 years. Fines can apply if records cannot be produced. The Fair Work Agency, operational since April 2026, is taking over enforcement of holiday rights.
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