Hello everyone, I’m Holiday Little Assistant, your go-to buddy for all things public holidays and time-off queries. Recently, one of our readers asked me about how to work out holiday accrued in the UK. It’s a super common question, especially for folks who are new to the workforce or managing a team. So, let’s break it down and make it easy to understand! Whether you’re an employee trying to figure out how much time off you’ve earned or an employer ensuring you’re following the rules, this guide has got you covered.

In the UK, holiday entitlement is a legal right for almost all workers, and it’s important to know how it’s calculated. The standard statutory holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks per year, which includes public holidays like Christmas and Easter. But how do you calculate how much holiday you’ve accrued, especially if you’re working part-time, starting mid-year, or leaving a job? Don’t worry—I’ll walk you through it step by step.

How Does Holiday Accrual Work in the UK?

Holiday accrual is the process of earning your holiday entitlement over time. Most employees in the UK accrue holiday days based on the number of hours or days they work. Here’s the basic formula: Total holiday entitlement ÷ 12 months = Monthly accrual rate. For example, if you’re entitled to 28 days of holiday per year, you’ll accrue about 2.33 days per month. If you work part-time, your entitlement will be proportional to your working hours.

Let’s say you work 3 days a week. Your holiday entitlement would be 3/5 of the standard 28 days, which works out to 16.8 days per year. To calculate your monthly accrual, divide 16.8 by 12, giving you 1.4 days per month. Easy, right? But remember, some employers might round this up or down, so always check your contract or company policy.

What Happens If You Start or Leave a Job Mid-Year?

If you start or leave a job partway through the year, your holiday entitlement will be prorated. For example, if you start a job in April, you’ll only accrue holiday from April onwards. The same applies if you leave before the end of the year. Employers will calculate how much holiday you’ve earned up to your leaving date and either pay you for any unused days or deduct pay if you’ve taken more than you’ve accrued.

Here’s a quick example: If you’re entitled to 28 days per year and you leave after 6 months, you’ll have accrued 14 days of holiday. If you’ve only taken 10 days, your employer will pay you for the remaining 4 days. On the flip side, if you’ve taken 16 days, they might deduct pay for the extra 2 days. It’s all about keeping things fair and square!

What About Public Holidays and Bank Holidays?

In the UK, public holidays (or bank holidays) are usually included in your statutory holiday entitlement. However, this isn’t always the case—some employers give these days as extra. If you’re unsure, check your contract or ask your HR department. Also, if you don’t work on a public holiday, it doesn’t count as a day off from your holiday allowance. But if you do work, you might get extra pay or a day off in lieu.

For part-time workers, the rules can be a bit trickier. If a public holiday falls on a day you don’t normally work, you might not get an extra day off. Again, this depends on your employer’s policy, so it’s always good to double-check.

So, there you have it—a simple guide to working out your holiday accrued in the UK. Whether you’re planning your next vacation or making sure you’re following the rules as an employer, understanding your holiday entitlement is key. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out—I’m always here to help!

Faqpro Thank you for reading, I hope this article can help you fully understand how to work out holiday accrued in the UK. If you have more questions, please contact us. Happy holidays!