Annual Leave Calculator, 2026/27

How this is calculated

Every worker in Great Britain is entitled to a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave a year. For someone working a standard 5-day week that is 28 days; for someone working fewer days, the entitlement is prorated by multiplying 5.6 by the number of days worked each week.

For staff who do not work the full year, for example someone starting or leaving partway through the leave year, entitlement is further reduced in proportion to the weeks actually worked. This calculator applies both adjustments together to give a realistic day and hour figure.

There is no statutory requirement to give more than the legal minimum, but many employers do as a recruitment or retention tool, and some contracts state entitlement inclusive of bank holidays while others add them on top; both are lawful as long as the statutory minimum is met.

Irregular hours and part-year workers

Since April 2024, workers with genuinely irregular hours or who only work part of the year accrue holiday at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period, rather than using the weeks-based method in this calculator, which better fits fixed-pattern employees.

This distinction matters for zero-hours and casual staff, where getting the accrual method wrong is one of the most common holiday pay errors small employers make, and can lead to backdated claims if underpaid.

Practical points for a small employer

Holiday pay itself should reflect normal remuneration, including regular overtime and commission where it forms part of usual pay, not just basic salary, following case law on holiday pay calculations.

Carry-over rules allow limited amounts of unused statutory leave to roll into the next leave year in specific circumstances, such as long-term sickness or family leave, so it is worth setting a clear written policy rather than relying on informal practice.

What is the statutory minimum holiday entitlement in the UK?

5.6 weeks a year, which is 28 days for someone working a standard 5-day week, or the pro-rata equivalent for anyone working fewer days or hours.

Do bank holidays count towards the statutory minimum?

They can. Many employers include the 8 UK bank holidays within the 5.6-week entitlement, but there is no automatic legal right to them off unless the contract or the statutory minimum requires it.

How is holiday worked out for part-time staff?

By multiplying 5.6 weeks by the number of days or hours they normally work each week, so someone working 3 days a week is entitled to 16.8 days rather than 28.

How does holiday accrue for casual or zero-hours workers?

Since April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers accrue holiday at 12.07% of the hours actually worked in each pay period, rather than a fixed weekly entitlement.