Holiday entitlement calculator

Almost every worker in the UK is entitled to at least 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. On a 5-day week that is 28 days, which is also the most the law requires: someone working 6 days a week still gets 28. Employers can count the 8 bank holidays in England and Wales within it. Source: GOV.UK, Holiday entitlement.

The same 5.6 weeks, in their own pattern: 5.6 × the days worked a week. That is 22.4 days on a 4-day week, 16.8 on 3 days and 11.2 on 2 days. In hours it is 5.6 × weekly hours, so 112 hours on a 20-hour week.

For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers build up holiday at 12.07% of the hours they work in each pay period, rounded to the nearest hour. 30 hours in a week gives 3.621 hours, which rounds to 4. They can take it from the next pay period.

Because 5.6 weeks of holiday is 12.07% of the 46.4 weeks a year left to work after taking it: 5.6 ÷ (52 − 5.6) = 0.1207. Holiday then grows with the hours actually worked.

Only the share of the leave year you are employed for. Starting on 1 April in a leave year that began on 1 January, a full-time worker gets 21.1 of the 28 days, which GOV.UK's method rounds up to 21.5. Leaving works the same way: on 3 days a week, leaving on 30 June gives 8.5 days for that leave year.

A week's holiday is paid at a week's pay. On £30,000 a year and 5 days a week, a day is worth £115.38 and the 28 statutory days £3,230.64 before tax. At least 4 of the 5.6 weeks must include regular overtime, commission and similar payments.

Not while you are still in the job. Pay in lieu of statutory holiday is only allowed when you leave, and then any untaken leave must be paid, even after dismissal for gross misconduct.

An extra 12.07% on each payment instead of pay when the holiday is taken. Since 2024 employers may use it only for irregular-hours and part-year workers, it has to be shown separately on the payslip, and it is not allowed for regular-hours staff.