Holiday entitlement calculator

Holiday Entitlement Calculator UK 2026/27: Full Year, Starters and Leavers

Work out statutory holiday for a full leave year, for someone who starts or leaves part way through, and the holiday pay owed on leaving. Covers days, fixed hours and irregular hours (12.07%). Uses the same pro-rata method as the GOV.UK holiday calculator. Updated October 2026.

Quick answer

Statutory holiday is 5.6 weeks a year: 28 days for a 5-day week (capped at 28), 22.4 days for 4 days, 16.8 for 3. Someone who starts or leaves part way through gets the same share of the year: leaving after 6 months of a leave year on a 5-day week means 14 days, less any already taken, with the rest paid in the final pay. Irregular-hours workers build up 12.07% of the hours they work.

Your details

Check the contract. If it says nothing, the leave year starts on the anniversary of the start date.
Holiday entitlement
28 days
Full statutory entitlement for a 5-day week
Full-year entitlement
28 days
Share of leave year
100%
Entitlement for the period
28 days
5.6 weeks × 5 days = 28 days. Bank holidays can be included in the 28 if the contract says so.

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How the calculation works
UK statutory holiday 2026/27

UK workers get 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year — 28 days for a 5-day week, pro-rated for part-time — starting from day one, with bank holidays counting only if the contract says so. Anyone leaving must be paid for statutory holiday built up but not taken.

Frequently asked questions

What is the statutory minimum holiday entitlement in the UK?
Workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year. For a full-time worker on 5 days per week, that is 28 days. Employers can choose whether bank holidays count towards this total or are given in addition — there is no statutory right to have bank holidays off.
How is part-time holiday entitlement calculated?
Part-time workers receive the same 5.6 weeks pro-rated to their working days. Multiply 5.6 by the number of days worked per week. For 3 days per week: 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days. For hours-based workers, multiply 5.6 by weekly hours (e.g. 20 hours per week = 112 hours holiday entitlement).
How much holiday pay is owed when someone leaves?
Work out the share of the leave year they were employed, multiply the full-year entitlement by it and take off holiday already taken. The rest is paid in the final pay as normal taxable pay. Someone on a 5-day week who leaves halfway through the leave year has built up 14 days; if they have taken 5, they are owed 9 days' pay. For a salaried worker a day's pay is usually salary divided by 260.
Does holiday entitlement apply from the first day?
Yes. Workers accrue holiday from day one of employment. Entitlement builds up as they work — typically 1/12th of annual entitlement per complete month. Employers cannot require a qualifying period before leave can be taken, though they can direct when it is taken with adequate notice.
Do bank holidays count towards statutory entitlement?
Bank holidays can count within the 28-day statutory minimum — there is no legal right to bank holidays off as additional leave. Whether they count is a contractual matter. Many employers give 20 days plus 8 bank holidays = 28 days total (meeting the statutory minimum), while others give 25 days plus bank holidays = 33 days as an enhancement.
Can unused holiday be carried over to the next leave year?
Statutory holiday should normally be taken in the leave year in which it accrues — it cannot simply be rolled over at the employer's discretion. However, carry-over is permitted where a worker could not take leave due to sickness, maternity leave, or other family leave. The 4 weeks of EU-derived leave may also carry over in limited circumstances. Contractual leave above the statutory minimum can be subject to different carry-over rules.
How is holiday pay calculated?
Holiday pay must reflect a worker's normal remuneration — not just basic pay. Regular overtime, regular commission and other payments that are normally received must be included. The reference period is 52 weeks of actual earnings (ignoring weeks with no pay). Workers on irregular hours use a 52-week average to determine the holiday pay rate.

Source: GOV.UK — Holiday entitlement. Last reviewed October 2026.

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Written and reviewed by James Whitfield and the editorial team.

Every figure is checked against current HMRC and GOV.UK guidance and reviewed for the 2026/27 tax year. We explain the numbers in plain English with worked examples. Editorial standards · About us