Statutory holiday by days worked
1 day a week
5.6
days a year
2 days a week
11.2
days a year
3 days a week
16.8
days a year
4 days a week
22.4
days a year
5 days a week
28
days a year
Getting leave right across a whole workforce
Entitlement is the easy part. The work is tracking requests, carry-over and accrual for every working pattern, and keeping the absence records a sponsor has to produce for the Home Office. The HR providers and payroll bureaux listed on this site run that for employers, usually on software they set up and support for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much holiday must an employer give?
Almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. For someone working 5 days a week that is 28 days. The statutory entitlement is capped at 28 days, so someone working 6 days a week still gets 28.
How do I calculate holiday for part-time staff?
Multiply the number of days they work each week by 5.6. Someone working 3 days a week gets 16.8 days. You can’t round statutory entitlement down — round up to the nearest half or whole day.
Can bank holidays be included in the 5.6 weeks?
Yes. There is no statutory right to paid bank holidays, so an employer can choose to count them as part of the 5.6 weeks — for example 20 days plus 8 bank holidays.
How does holiday work for irregular-hours and zero-hours workers?
For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers accrue holiday at 12.07% of the hours they work in each pay period. You can also pay rolled-up holiday pay at 12.07% of pay, shown separately on the payslip.
How do I calculate holiday for a starter or leaver?
Pro-rate the full-year entitlement by the share of the leave year they are employed. When someone leaves, you must pay them for any accrued holiday they haven’t taken.
Does holiday accrue during maternity or sick leave?
Yes. Statutory holiday continues to accrue during maternity, other family leave and sick leave, and can be carried over if the worker couldn’t take it.
Official sources
- Holiday entitlement
- Calculating holiday entitlement for workers on different types of contract
- Holiday pay and entitlement reforms from 1 January 2024
Rules and fees checked September 2026. Immigration rules change often — this tool gives general information, not legal or immigration advice. For advice on an individual case, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or one of the firms listed here.