Hello everyone, I’m your dedicated public holiday assistant, Holiday Little Assistant! Recently, one of you asked me about calculating holiday entitlement in the UK. It’s a super common question, especially for folks starting new jobs or trying to plan their time off. So, I’ve put together this guide to break it all down for you. Let’s dive in and make sure you know exactly how many days off you’re entitled to!

First things first, holiday entitlement in the UK is a legal right for most workers. Whether you’re full-time, part-time, or on a zero-hours contract, you’re entitled to a certain number of paid holiday days each year. The rules can get a little tricky depending on your work schedule, but don’t worry—I’ll walk you through it step by step.

How Many Holiday Days Am I Entitled to in the UK?

For most full-time workers in the UK, the statutory minimum holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks per year. That includes public holidays (like Christmas or Easter) if your workplace observes them. But here’s the breakdown: if you work 5 days a week, that’s 28 days of paid leave. If you work fewer days, your entitlement is calculated proportionally. For example, if you work 3 days a week, you’d get 16.8 days of holiday (3 x 5.6). Easy, right?

How Do I Calculate My Holiday Entitlement?

Calculating your holiday entitlement depends on how many days you work each week. Here’s the formula: Number of days you work per week x 5.6 = Your annual holiday entitlement. Let’s say you work 4 days a week—multiply that by 5.6, and you’re looking at 22.4 days of holiday per year. If you’re on a zero-hours contract or work irregular hours, your entitlement is usually calculated based on the hours you’ve worked. Employers often use a 12.07% rule for this, which means you earn 12.07% of your hours worked as holiday.

Can My Employer Include Public Holidays in My Entitlement?

Yes, they can. In the UK, public holidays (or “bank holidays”) don’t have to be given as extra days off. Your employer can include them in your 5.6-week statutory entitlement. So, if you get 8 public holidays off, that means you’d have 20 days left to take whenever you want. Make sure to check your contract to see how your employer handles this!

What If I Work Part-Time or Irregular Hours?

If you’re part-time or work irregular hours, your holiday entitlement is still 5.6 weeks, but it’s calculated based on your average working hours. For example, if you work 2 days a week, your entitlement would be 11.2 days (2 x 5.6). For irregular hours, your employer might calculate your holiday based on the hours you’ve worked, using the 12.07% rule I mentioned earlier.

To summarize, calculating your holiday entitlement in the UK isn’t as complicated as it might seem. Whether you’re full-time, part-time, or on a flexible contract, you’re entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year. Just multiply the number of days you work each week by 5.6, and you’ll have your answer. And remember, public holidays might be included in that total, so double-check your contract to avoid any surprises.

Faqpro Thank you for reading, I hope this article can help you fully understand how to calculate your holiday entitlement in the UK. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out to us. Happy holidays!