Holiday entitlement explained.

The legal minimum

Almost all workers in the UK are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave each year. For someone working five days a week, that is 28 days. You can choose to include bank holidays within those 28 days, or give them on top — but whichever you do, it must be clear in the contract. You can offer more than the minimum, but never less.

Part-time staff

Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks, pro rata. The simplest way to work it out is days worked per week multiplied by 5.6. Someone working three days a week is entitled to 16.8 days. It is usually easier to hold part-time entitlement in hours rather than days, especially if shift lengths vary.

Irregular hours and part-year workers

• For irregular-hours and part-year workers, entitlement can be accrued at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period.
• Rolled-up holiday pay (an uplift paid with wages) is permitted for these workers, provided it is itemised clearly on the payslip.
• Keep a running record of hours worked and leave taken so the figures can be checked at any point.

Accrual in the first year

In their first year, staff typically build up leave monthly — one twelfth of the annual entitlement at the start of each month. Many employers simply allow the full year's entitlement from day one for simplicity; that is fine, but be clear about what happens if someone leaves having taken more than they accrued, and put any deduction clause in the contract.

Carry-over

• Four weeks of the entitlement generally cannot be carried over, but the remaining 1.6 weeks can if you agree to it in writing.
• Untaken leave due to long-term sickness can usually be carried over for a limited period.
• Staff on maternity or other family leave should be able to carry leave into the next year.

Holiday pay

Holiday pay should reflect normal pay. For four weeks of the entitlement, that includes regular overtime, commission and similar payments, based on an average over the previous 52 paid weeks. For staff with fixed hours and no variable pay, it is simply a normal week's pay.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to pro-rata bank holidays for part-time staff who do not work Mondays.
• Paying only basic pay when someone regularly earns overtime or commission.
• No written leave-year start date, so entitlement is impossible to calculate cleanly.
• Not paying accrued but untaken leave when someone leaves.

Want a hand with this?

If your holiday year, accrual method or part-time calculations are a mess, we can tidy the whole thing up — policy, contract wording and a tracker that actually adds up.

Important: This guide is general information only and does not replace legal advice on your specific situation. Rules and official guidance change, so always check the latest guidance before making employment decisions.