UK Holiday Entitlement Calculator

Don't leave paid holiday days on the table. Our UK Holiday Entitlement Calculator helps you quickly and accurately determine your annual leave, ensuring you get every day you're legally entitled to.

Are you getting all the paid time off you deserve? In the UK, almost all workers are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. But calculating your exact allowance can be tricky, especially if you work part-time, irregular hours, or have just started a new job.

Leaving holiday days unused is like giving money back to your employer. Our free Holiday Entitlement Calculator removes the guesswork. In just a few clicks, you can find out precisely how many days of paid leave you should be getting, so you can rest, recharge, and enjoy your well-earned break.

How to Use the Holiday Entitlement Calculator

Our calculator is designed to be simple and fast. Follow these three easy steps to get your personalised result.

1. Select Your Employment Type Tell the calculator how you work. Choose from common patterns like:

   • Full-time (a set number of days per week, e.g., 5 days)
   • Part-time (fewer days or hours than a full-time employee)
   • Irregular hours or zero-hours contract
   • Shift work

2. Enter Your Working Pattern Provide the details of your work schedule. For example:

   • If you work part-time, enter the number of days you work each week.
   • If you're a full-time worker, this is typically 5 days.
   • For irregular hours, the calculator uses the standard government method.

3. Refine for a Part-Year (Optional) Are you starting a new job or leaving one soon? If you won't be with your employer for the full holiday year, enter your start date or end date. The calculator will automatically pro-rata your entitlement.

Understanding Your Results

Once you've entered your details, the Holiday Entitlement Calculator will instantly display:

• Your total annual leave entitlement in days.
• This figure represents the minimum number of paid holiday days your employer must give you by law.

What is Statutory Holiday Entitlement?

In the UK, the law is on your side when it comes to taking a break. This legal right is called 'statutory holiday entitlement'.

• The Magic Number: Nearly all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year.
• Who Qualifies? This includes agency workers, workers on zero-hours contracts, and those with irregular hours.
• Maximum Cap: The statutory entitlement is capped at 28 days. If you work 6 days a week, your legal minimum is still 28 days (5.6 x 5), not 33.6 (5.6 x 6). However, your employer can offer you more in your contract. This is known as 'contractual leave'.

How Holiday is Calculated for Different Workers

Your working pattern directly affects how your 5.6 weeks are converted into days.

Worker Type	How It's Calculated	Worked Example
Full-Time (5 days/week)	5.6 weeks x 5 days	28 days of paid annual leave.
Part-Time (3 days/week)	5.6 weeks x 3 days	16.8 days of paid annual leave.
Irregular Hours	Based on 12.07% of the hours you've worked.	If you worked 100 hours, you've earned 12.07 hours of paid leave.

What about Bank Holidays?

There are typically 8 bank holidays a year in England and Wales (this can vary). Your employer can choose to include bank holidays as part of your 5.6 weeks statutory leave.

Check your employment contract. It must state whether your entitlement includes bank holidays or if you get them on top of your allowance. If it does, you'll need to book them as holiday if you want to be paid for them.

Common Mistakes When Calculating Holiday Pay

It's easy to make a mistake, which is why using an accurate tool is so important. Here are some common slip-ups:

• Forgetting to pro-rata: If you start or leave a job mid-way through the company's holiday year, your entitlement needs to be calculated for the portion of the year you worked.
• Part-time confusion: Many people wrongly assume they get the full 28 days. Your leave is proportional to the days you work.
• Ignoring the contract: Your contract might offer you more than the statutory minimum. Always check it! The legal minimum is just that—a minimum.
• Bank holiday mix-ups: Assuming bank holidays are always given as extra paid leave. They often count towards your 28-day total.

Our Holiday Entitlement Calculator helps you avoid these errors by handling the maths for you.

What to Do After You Get Your Result

You've used the calculator and have your number. What's next?

1. Check Your Contract: Compare the calculator's result with the entitlement stated in your employment contract. If your contract offers more, that's your official allowance. An employer cannot offer you less than the statutory minimum.
2. Talk to HR or Your Manager: If the calculator result is higher than what you've been given, raise it with your manager or HR department. It could be a simple payroll error. Have the figures ready and explain politely how you calculated it.
3. Plan Your Time Off: Once confirmed, start planning your holidays! Booking leave in advance helps ensure your requests are approved and gives you something to look forward to.

Related Protection: Securing Your Financial Future

Knowing your holiday entitlement is a key part of managing your work-life balance and financial well-being. But what about protecting your health and your family's future? That's where other types of insurance come in.

While taking a holiday helps you recharge, it's wise to have a safety net for life's bigger challenges. As expert insurance brokers, WeCovr helps thousands of UK customers find the right protection.

• Private Medical Insurance (PMI): PMI gives you more control over your healthcare, allowing you to bypass long NHS waiting lists for eligible treatments. It's crucial to understand that UK PMI is designed to cover acute conditions (short-term, curable illnesses) that arise after your policy begins. It does not cover pre-existing conditions you already have or chronic conditions that require long-term management. You can learn more on our Private Medical Insurance page.

• Life Insurance: This provides a vital financial safety net for your loved ones if you pass away. A tax-free lump sum can help them cover mortgage payments, daily living costs, and funeral expenses during a difficult time. Discover your options on our Life Insurance page.

When you arrange PMI or life insurance through WeCovr, we can often provide discounts on other policies. All our clients also receive complimentary access to CalorieHero, our exclusive AI-powered app for tracking calories and nutrition to support your health goals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are answers to some common questions about holiday entitlement in the UK.

1. Can my employer tell me when to take my holiday? Yes, they can. An employer can require you to take leave on specific dates, such as during a Christmas shutdown or on bank holidays. They must give you proper notice, which should be at least twice as long as the leave they want you to take.

2. What happens to my holiday if I'm on sick leave? You still build up ('accrue') your statutory holiday entitlement while you're off sick. You can also take your paid holiday during your sick leave if you wish. If you are unable to use your holiday because of sickness, you may be able to carry it over to the next leave year.

3. Can I carry over unused holiday days? By law, workers must take at least 4 weeks of their leave in the year it's earned. Your employer may allow you to carry over the remaining 1.6 weeks (or any contractual leave above the minimum), but this depends on your company's policy. Check your contract or staff handbook.

4. What is 'rolled-up' holiday pay? 'Rolled-up' holiday pay is when an employer includes an amount for holiday pay in your basic hourly rate. This practice is technically unlawful because it discourages workers from taking time off. Holiday pay should be paid when you actually take your holiday.

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Don't guess when it comes to your time off. Use our simple and accurate Holiday Entitlement Calculator today to ensure you're getting every single paid day you're entitled to.

Once you know your numbers, why not take the next step in securing your well-being? Speak to the friendly experts at WeCovr for a no-obligation quote on health or life insurance.

Sources

• NHS England: Waiting times and referral-to-treatment statistics.
• Office for National Statistics (ONS): Health, mortality, and workforce data.
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): Public health surveillance reports.
• NICE: Clinical guidance and technology appraisals.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC): Provider quality and inspection reports.
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Insurance conduct and consumer guidance.
• Association of British Insurers (ABI): Health and protection market publications.