Holiday Entitlement Calculator (UK)

How is holiday entitlement calculated in the UK?

Almost all UK workers are legally entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year (statutory annual leave). For someone working a 5-day week that is 28 days, and entitlement is capped at 28 days even if you work more than five days a week — though employers can choose to offer more. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks pro-rata: multiply the number of days you work each week by 5.6 (so a 3-day week gives 16.8 days). If you start part-way through the leave year, you only accrue a proportion of the full entitlement. For workers with irregular hours or who work only part of the year, holiday accrues at 12.07% of the hours they work in each pay period (12.07% is 5.6 weeks divided by the 46.4 working weeks in a year). Bank holidays can count toward this statutory minimum, depending on your contract.

How holiday entitlement is calculated (the formula)

The statutory formula is simple: days worked per week x 5.6 weeks = your annual holiday entitlement, capped at 28 days. A full-time 5-day week gives the full 28 days; a 4-day week gives 22.4 days; a 3-day week gives 16.8 days.

Worked example: someone working 5 days a week is entitled to 5 x 5.6 = 28 days. The calculator above also handles part-time weeks, mid-year starters (pro-rata), and the 12.07% method for irregular hours.

How much holiday am I entitled to part-time?

Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks as full-timers, applied pro-rata to the days they work. Multiply your days per week by 5.6: a 2-day week gives 11.2 days, a 3-day week gives 16.8 days, and a 4-day week gives 22.4 days. You are never capped below your pro-rata share — the 28-day cap only affects people working more than five days a week.

Holiday for irregular hours and part-year workers (12.07%)

For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, workers with irregular hours or who only work part of the year accrue holiday at 12.07% of the hours they actually work in each pay period. The 12.07% comes from dividing the 5.6 weeks of statutory leave by the 46.4 weeks a year that are actually worked (52 minus 5.6). For example, 100 hours worked accrues 12.07 hours of paid holiday.

When does the leave year start, and what about bank holidays?

Your leave year is set by your contract (often 1 January or 1 April, or your start date). Mid-year starters accrue a proportion of the full entitlement. Bank holidays are not a separate legal right: employers can include the eight UK bank holidays within your 5.6 weeks, so always check whether your entitlement is quoted including or on top of bank holidays.