Holiday Entitlement Calculator (UK)
Updated August 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate your UK statutory holiday entitlement: the 5.6-weeks rule, pro-rata for part-time days, mid-year starters and leavers, and the 12.07% accrual method for irregular and zero-hours workers.
Quick answer: UK statutory holiday = days worked per week × 5.6, capped at 28 days. Full-time (5 days) = 28 days including any bank holidays your contract counts; 3 days a week = 16.8 days. Mid-year starters get the remaining-months fraction; irregular-hours staff accrue 12.07% of hours worked.
The 5.6 Weeks Rule
Every UK worker — full-time, part-time, agency, zero-hours — is entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year (Working Time Regulations 1998). For someone with a regular weekly pattern, a "week" of holiday equals their working days, so:
Entitlement = Days per Week × 5.6, capped at 28 days
The cap means 6-day workers still get 28 days, not 33.6. Bank holidays have no special status — the 28 days may include them (most contracts) or come on top (generous contracts); your contract decides.
Worked Examples
Example 1 — full-time. 5 days/week × 5.6 = 28 days. A typical contract: 20 days "annual leave" + 8 bank holidays = exactly the statutory 28.
Example 2 — part-time, 3 days. 3 × 5.6 = 16.8 days. Employers must not round down — 16.8 stays 16.8 (or rounds up to 17). Part-timers on fixed days should check bank-holiday fairness: someone never working Mondays would lose most bank holidays unless entitlement is pro-rated properly, which the days×5.6 method does automatically.
Example 3 — starting mid-year. Full-timer joining 1 August with a January-December leave year: 5 remaining months → 28 × 5/12 = 11.7 days for the rest of the year.
Example 4 — zero-hours. A bar worker doing 120 hours in a month accrues 120 × 12.07% = 14.5 hours of paid holiday (the 12.07% comes from 5.6 ÷ 46.4 remaining weeks).
Entitlement Quick Table
| Days/week | Statutory days | Days/week | Statutory days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5.6 | 4 | 22.4 |
| 2 | 11.2 | 5 | 28 (cap) |
| 2.5 | 14 | 6 | 28 (cap) |
| 3 | 16.8 | Irregular | 12.07% of hours |
Starters, Leavers, and Part-Year Maths
- Starters: entitlement × (remaining months ÷ 12) is the standard method; employers may run an accrual system in year one (1/12th per month, rounded up to half days).
- Leavers: entitlement × (months worked ÷ 12) minus days taken — a positive balance must be paid with final wages; a negative one can be deducted only if the contract says so.
- Leave year vs start date: if no leave year is defined, it legally starts on your employment anniversary — a detail that changes every pro-rata sum.
- Carry-over: the core 4 weeks generally can't be carried into the next year (sickness and family-leave exceptions apply); the extra 1.6 weeks can, by agreement.
Holiday Pay: What Each Day Is Worth
Statutory holiday is paid at normal remuneration — for variable pay, a 52-paid-week average that must include regular overtime and commission. Irregular-hours and part-year workers (post-2024 rules) may lawfully receive rolled-up holiday pay: 12.07% added to each payslip instead of paid time off — it must appear as a separate line. Rate maths and the working-a-holiday premiums live in the holiday pay calculator; leavers' payout totals feed the final-wage sum alongside notice (notice period calculator).
Common Employer Errors Worth Checking
- Rounding 16.8 down to 16 — unlawful; round up or keep the decimal.
- Bank-holiday clawback for part-timers — "we deduct all 8 bank holidays from your 16.8" over-deducts for anyone on under 5 days/week.
- Basic-pay-only holiday pay for staff with regular overtime — underpays; the 52-week average is the law.
- Zero carry-over during long sickness — sick workers can carry the core 4 weeks; blanket use-it-or-lose-it fails here.
- No payout for unused days on leaving — accrued statutory holiday is a debt, not a favour.
Beyond the Statutory Floor
25 days + bank holidays is the common UK professional package (33 total — five above statutory); long-service days and buy/sell schemes sit on top. When comparing offers, price the gap: 5 extra days ≈ 2% of salary in paid time. Part-time offers should quote both the FTE entitlement and your pro-rata days — cross-check the salary side with the pro rata salary calculator, and term-time roles with the term-time salary calculator, where holiday maths gets its most exotic.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is UK holiday entitlement calculated?
Days worked per week × 5.6, capped at 28 days. Five days a week gives 28 days (often structured as 20 leave + 8 bank holidays); three days gives 16.8.
Is holiday entitlement 20 or 28 days?
The statutory minimum is 28 for full-timers — contracts often present it as 20 days plus 8 bank holidays. Pure "20 days including bank holidays" would be unlawful.
How does pro-rata holiday work for part-time staff?
Same formula, fewer days: days per week × 5.6. A 2.5-day week earns exactly 14 days. Entitlement must not be rounded down.
How is holiday calculated for a mid-year starter?
Full entitlement × remaining months ÷ 12. Joining August 1 on a calendar leave year: 28 × 5/12 ≈ 11.7 days. First-year accrual systems (1/12 per month) are also lawful.
What is the 12.07% holiday method?
The accrual rate for irregular and zero-hours workers: 5.6 weeks ÷ 46.4 working weeks = 12.07% of hours worked becomes paid holiday. 100 hours worked accrues 12.07 hours.
Do bank holidays count as holiday entitlement?
They can — the 28-day minimum may include bank holidays if the contract says so. There is no standalone right to take (or be paid extra for) bank holidays.
What happens to unused holiday when I leave?
Accrued untaken statutory holiday must be paid with your final wages: (months worked ÷ 12 × entitlement) − days taken, at your normal pay rate.
Can I carry holiday over to next year?
The core 4 weeks generally cannot be carried over (exceptions: sickness, maternity/family leave). The additional 1.6 weeks can, if your employer agrees.
What is rolled-up holiday pay?
For irregular-hours and part-year workers, employers may add 12.07% to each payslip instead of paying when leave is taken — lawful post-2024 if itemised separately.
Is 5.6 weeks the same for a 6-day week?
The formula would give 33.6, but the statutory cap is 28 days — six-day workers get 28. Contracts can of course exceed the floor.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: August 20, 2026