UK statutory holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks (28 days) for full-time workers. Part-time pro-rata, bank holiday rules, holiday pay calculation, and carry-over explained.
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Open calculatorUK Holiday Entitlement 2026/27 — Quick Answer
5.6 weeks = 28 days (full-time, 5-day week)
This is the statutory minimum for all workers. Part-time workers receive the same 5.6 weeks, calculated pro-rata. Bank holidays can be included in the 28-day total — check your contract.
| Working Pattern | Days/Week | Annual Entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 5 days | 28 days (5.6 × 5) |
| 4-day week | 4 days | 22.4 days (5.6 × 4) |
| 3-day week | 3 days | 16.8 days (5.6 × 3) |
| 2-day week | 2 days | 11.2 days (5.6 × 2) |
| 1-day week | 1 day | 5.6 days (5.6 × 1) |
The 5.6-week minimum is set by the Working Time Regulations 1998. Employers can offer more — many do — but they cannot offer less.
There is no automatic right to paid bank holidays in the UK. Bank holidays can be treated in one of two ways:
Check your employment contract carefully. The phrase "28 days including bank holidays" means you only have 20 flexible days. "28 days plus bank holidays" means you have 28 flexible days.
Part-time workers have the same right to 5.6 weeks as full-time workers. Their entitlement is simply calculated in proportion to their working days or hours.
Entitlement = 5.6 weeks × Days worked per week
A worker on a 3-day week gets 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days. This includes their proportion of bank holidays — if there are 8 bank holidays and they work 3 days, their bank holiday entitlement is 8 × 3/5 = 4.8 bank holidays.
Use our holiday entitlement calculator to get the exact figure for any working pattern.
For workers with no set hours, the law changed in April 2024. There are now two options:
The 12.07% rolled-up method was unlawful before April 2024 following Harpur Trust v Brazel (Supreme Court, 2022). The Employment Rights Act 2024 restored it specifically for irregular-hours workers.
Holiday pay must reflect your normal pay — not just your basic salary. HMRC and the courts require:
The 52-week reference period was introduced by the Good Work Plan (2020) to ensure workers with irregular earnings receive fair holiday pay. Claims for underpaid holiday pay can go back 2 years.
| Absence Type | Holiday Continues to Accrue? |
|---|---|
| Statutory Maternity Leave (all 52 weeks) | Yes — full entitlement accrues |
| Statutory Paternity Leave | Yes — full entitlement accrues |
| Shared Parental Leave | Yes — full entitlement accrues |
| Statutory Sick Leave (SSP period) | Yes — full entitlement accrues |
| Long-term sick leave | Yes — full entitlement accrues throughout |
| Unpaid leave (agreed) | Only if contracted — check your agreement |
Workers who cannot take holiday due to long-term sickness can carry over up to 4 weeks indefinitely, and must be allowed to take it within 18 months of the leave year in which it accrued.
The 5.6-week entitlement is split into two parts for carry-over purposes:
If an employer prevents a worker from taking their holiday (e.g., by denying requests), the worker can carry over that holiday indefinitely — there is no limit if the employer is at fault.
On termination of employment, workers are entitled to:
Accrued entitlement = (Months worked ÷ 12) × Annual entitlement
For example, if you leave after 3 months on a 28-day entitlement: 3/12 × 28 = 7 days accrued. If you have taken 5, you are owed payment for 2 days.
All workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks (28 days for a full-time 5-day week) of paid holiday per year. This is the statutory minimum — your employer can offer more. Part-time workers receive the same 5.6 weeks, pro-rated to their working days.
Only if your contract says so. Most UK employers include bank holidays within the 28-day entitlement, leaving 20 discretionary days. Check whether your contract says "28 days including bank holidays" or "28 days plus bank holidays" — the difference is significant.
Multiply 5.6 weeks by the number of days worked per week. A 3-day week gives 16.8 days; a 4-day week gives 22.4 days. Use our holiday entitlement calculator for exact figures, including bank holiday entitlement.
For fixed-hours workers, holiday pay equals a normal day's pay. For workers with variable pay (overtime, commission, irregular hours), it must be the average of the last 52 weeks in which they were actually paid — weeks with no earnings are excluded.
Up to 4 weeks can be carried over if you were unable to take it due to sickness or family leave. A further 1.6 weeks can be carried over by agreement with your employer. Holiday you simply chose not to take generally cannot be carried over unless your contract allows it.
Knowing your entitlement is step one. Step two is using it strategically. In 2026, the bank holidays fall in a way that creates some exceptional opportunities — including getting 10 days off for just 3 days of annual leave at Christmas. See our full guide:
2026 UK Bank Holidays: How to Maximise Your Annual Leave →
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