Moving to the UK for work? Your holiday rights explained
Everything you need to know about UK statutory holiday entitlement as an international worker.
What is the UK minimum holiday entitlement?
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, all workers in the UK are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid statutory annual leave per year. This equals 28 days for someone working a 5-day week.
Key facts about UK holiday entitlement
28 days maximum
The maximum statutory entitlement is 28 days, even if you work 6 days per week. Working 6 days doesn't give you 33.6 days — it remains capped at 28 days.
Bank holidays: your employer's choice
Under UK law, employers can choose whether bank holidays count within or in addition to your 28 days. There are two common approaches:
- Model A (top-up): Bank holidays are additional — you get 28 days + 8 bank holidays = 36 days total
- Model B (inclusive): Bank holidays count within your 28 days — you have 20 days to book freely plus 8 fixed bank holidays
Check your employment contract to know which model applies to you.
Part-time workers
Part-time workers receive 5.6 weeks pro-rata based on days worked:
- 5 days/week = 28 days (full entitlement)
- 4 days/week = 22.4 days (5.6 × 4)
- 3 days/week = 16.8 days (5.6 × 3)
- 2 days/week = 11.2 days (5.6 × 2)
This is calculated as: (days worked per week) × 5.6 weeks
Pro-rata holiday for mid-year starters
If you start working mid-way through the leave year, your entitlement is calculated proportionally. The formula is:
Pro-rata days = (days employed in leave year ÷ 365) × full entitlement (use 366 if your leave year spans a leap day)
For example, if you start on 1 July and work 3 days/week:
- Leave year (April–March): 274 days employed (1 July to 31 March)
- Full entitlement: 3 × 5.6 = 16.8 days
- Pro-rata: (274 ÷ 365) × 16.8 = 12.61 days
- Since this is your first year, round up to the nearest half day: 13.0 days
Per ACAS guidance, your employer can never round a part-day of holiday down. In your first year of employment they must round any part-day up to the nearest half day; after your first year, rounding up becomes optional, so some employers track the exact decimal figure instead.
Who is entitled?
UK law covers all types of workers:
- Full-time employees — permanent staff
- Part-time workers — anyone working fewer contracted hours than a comparable full-time employee doing the same type of work for the same employer
- Agency workers — those employed through agencies
- Part-year workers — e.g., school support staff
- Irregular hours workers — those with variable hours/days
There is no minimum working hour requirement for holiday entitlement — zero-hours contract workers are also entitled.
How does the UK compare to other countries?
🇺🇸 United States
No federal minimum paid holiday. However, several states (California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington) now require paid sick leave or paid leave. Many employers offer 10–15 days voluntarily.
🇪🇺 European Union
Minimum 20 days (4 weeks) under EU Working Time Directive. Many countries mandate 25–30 days.
🇦🇺 Australia
Minimum 20 days (4 weeks) paid leave. Shift workers often receive 25 days plus leave loading (additional pay in lieu of leave).
🇨🇦 Canada
Varies by province: 10 days in Ontario, 15 in Saskatchewan, and 10 days rising to 15 after 5 years in Nunavut. Federal workers get 20 days minimum.
Common questions for migrants
Does my employment start date affect my first-year entitlement?
Yes. If you start mid-year, your entitlement is prorated for that leave year. Your employer must calculate how much leave you've accrued from your start date to the end of the leave year.
Can I carry over unused holiday to the next year?
It depends why you didn't take it. Normally you must take your statutory 5.6 weeks in the leave year it's due — leave you could have taken but didn't is usually lost. Three situations let you carry it over: if your contract (or another relevant agreement, like a collective agreement) allows it, you can carry over up to 1.6 weeks — 8 days for someone working 5 days a week; if long-term sickness stopped you taking it, you can carry over up to 4 weeks, to be used within 18 months of the leave year it came from; and if maternity or other statutory family leave stopped you taking it, your employer must let you carry it over automatically, with no agreement needed — see our maternity leave calculator for how that works. Extra contractual leave above the legal minimum follows whatever your contract says.
What happens if I'm sick during my holiday?
If you fall ill or are hospitalised during annual leave, you can request to have those days reclassified as sick leave instead. You'll need medical evidence for periods over 7 days.
Do I get holiday pay during probation?
Yes. Holiday entitlement applies from day one of employment, regardless of probation status. You accrue holiday from your start date.
What about holiday entitlement if I work overtime?
You're entitled to paid leave for all hours worked, including overtime. Your holiday pay should reflect your normal wages including regular overtime.
Calculate your entitlement
Use our calculators to find your exact UK holiday entitlement:
Irregular hours
For variable work patterns using the 12.07% accrual method.
Calculate → CalculatorShift worker
For rotating shifts with pro-rata holiday calculations.
Calculate → CalculatorTermination
Calculate holiday owed when leaving a job.
Calculate → CalculatorMaternity leave
Holiday accrual during maternity leave periods.
Calculate → CalculatorBank holiday overlap
See how bank holidays affect your leave balance.
Calculate →Official sources
This information is based on UK government guidelines:
Calculate your UK holiday allowance
New to the UK workforce? Use our step-by-step calculator to find your exact paid leave entitlement.
Calculate your leave →