Holiday pay and entitlement explained

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Holiday entitlement is the number of days off a worker is allowed each year, and holiday pay is what they receive while taking it. The rules are simple in principle but often confusing in practice, especially for part-year workers, people on irregular hours and anyone whose earnings vary. This guide sets out the main rules for 2026/27, works through the days for different working patterns and explains how holiday pay is calculated. Figures checked against GOV.UK on 15 October 2026.

Von Valtrinity. Aktualisiert am 18. Oktober 2026.

The basic entitlement

A full-time worker in the UK is entitled to 5.6 weeks of annual leave with pay each year. The entitlement is the same whatever the pattern of days worked, but the number of days you take depends on how many days you work each week. The entitlement is capped at 28 days, so a worker who works six days a week still gets 28 days in total, not 33.6.

Some employers offer more than the statutory minimum, and that is fine. The statutory amount is the floor, not the ceiling.

• Statutory entitlement: 5.6 weeks a year.
• Capped at 28 days.
• Employers can offer more, but not less.

Days by working pattern

For a five-day week, 5.6 weeks is 28 days. For a three-day week, 5.6 weeks is 16.8 days. For a six-day week the entitlement is still 28 days, because of the cap. The calculation is simply the number of working days a week multiplied by 5.6, with the 28-day cap applied at the top.

Worked example. A worker on a three-day week calculates 3 multiplied by 5.6, which gives 16.8 days. That is 16.8 days of leave, which may need to be recorded as partial days in the holiday system your employer uses.

• Five-day week: 28 days.
• Three-day week: 16.8 days.
• Six-day week: still 28 days because of the cap.

Part-year and irregular hours workers

Workers who start or leave part way through a holiday year, and workers whose hours vary from week to week, accrue leave by the hours they work rather than by a fixed number of days. For these workers, the GOV.UK method gives holiday as 12.07 per cent of the hours worked, which builds up 5.6 weeks of leave across the year.

This method is fair for workers whose schedules vary, because leave grows with the hours actually worked. It also means that a worker who works fewer hours accrues less leave, which is the intended effect.

• Leave accrues by hours worked for part-year and irregular workers.
• The GOV.UK method uses 12.07 per cent of hours worked.

How holiday pay is calculated

For workers with regular pay, holiday pay is simply their normal weekly pay for each week of leave. For workers whose pay varies, the calculation is more involved. Holiday pay is based on an average of the pay received for weeks worked over the previous 52 weeks, and where needed the look-back can extend up to 104 weeks to find enough weeks to average.

The average should include the elements of pay that are normal for the worker, such as regular overtime and commission. Under the rules, workers are entitled to at least 4 weeks at normal pay. For workers with regular hours, up to 1.6 weeks may be calculated at basic pay, with the rest at normal pay.

• Regular pay: normal weekly pay for each week of leave.
• Variable pay: an average over the previous 52 weeks, with a look-back of up to 104 weeks.
• At least 4 weeks at normal pay, including regular overtime and commission.
• For regular hours workers, 1.6 weeks may be at basic pay.

Using the holiday pay calculator

The holiday pay calculator on Valtrinity helps you estimate the days and the pay for a given pattern. Enter your working days or hours, your weekly pay and the amount of leave you plan to take. Use the results as an estimate, and check the exact method with your employer if your pay varies.

• Enter your working pattern and weekly pay.
• Use the result as an estimate.

Common questions about carrying leave over

Leave that is not taken by the end of the holiday year may in some cases be carried forward, but the rules depend on the reason it was not taken and on the employer’s policy. Check your own policy for the detail, and keep a record of any leave you request in writing.

• Check your employer policy on carrying leave forward.
• Keep a written record of leave requests.

Sources

Figures for the 2026/27 tax year, checked against the GOV.UK page below on 15 October 2026.

• GOV.UK, Holiday entitlement and holiday pay: https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights

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