There is a minimum right to paid holiday, but your employer may offer more than this. The main things you should know about holiday rights are:

• you are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid annual leave (28 days for someone working five days a week)
• those working part-time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata, currently this is 5.6 times your usual working week for example. 22.4 days for someone working four days a week
• you start building up holiday as soon as you start work
• your employer can control when you take your holiday
• you get paid your normal pay for your holiday
• when you finish a job, you get paid for any holiday you’ve not taken
• bank and public holidays can be included in your minimum entitlement
• you continue to accrue your holiday entitlement throughout your ordinary and additional maternity leave and paternity and adoption leave
• To qualify for the right to annual leave you need to be classed as a worker. If you’re self-employed, you have no statutory right to paid annual leave.

Contractual holiday rights
Your employer may give you more than the minimum 5.6 weeks leave as part of your terms of employment. You can check how much leave you are allowed by referring to your contract or company handbook. You have no right to additional holiday, even if it’s unpaid, unless your contract provides for it.
Your employer can set their own rules on any holidays they give over and above the legal minimum. Your employer is not allowed to give you less than the legal minimum.

Source: NI Direct

Calculate holiday entitlement: https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-holiday-entitlement

See also

• NI Direct –  Holiday entitlements
• Labour Relations Agency – Holidays and Leave
• Citizens Advice – Holidays and holiday pay

Updated:  August 2022

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