Holiday entitlement calculator (UK, 2026/27)
Use our free holiday calculator to work out an employee’s annual leave in days or hours. Holiday entitlement in the UK depends on their working pattern, annual allowance and how much of the leave year they are employed for.
- Uses the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks, capped at 28 days
- Works in days or hours for full-time and part-time employees
- Includes people who join or leave during the holiday year
Calculate holiday entitlement
Choose days or hours, then add the employee’s working pattern and annual allowance. You can also adjust the calculation if they join or leave during the holiday year.
For example, enter 5 for a full-time role that runs from Monday to Friday.
Enter the annual allowance for a full-time employee. Follow your policy when deciding whether to include bank holidays.
Enter the employee’s usual working days each week.
Adjust for part of the holiday year
Turn this on if the employee joins or leaves during the holiday year.
Estimate
- Total entitlement
- 28 days
- Statutory minimum
- 28 days
- Contractual allowance
- 28 days
How this was calculated
- Full-year contractual allowance
- 28 days
- Full-year statutory minimum
- 28 days
Values are rounded up to the nearest half day. All figures shown in days.
This calculator gives an estimate for regular working patterns. Check the employee’s contract, your holiday policy and the latest GOV.UK guidance before confirming their allowance. GOV.UK holiday entitlement guidance.
UK holiday entitlement by days worked (2026/27)
For regular working patterns over a full leave year, the statutory minimum is 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, capped at 28 days. Multiply the days worked each week by 5.6 to work out the allowance.
| Days worked per week | Annual holiday (days) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 28 |
| 4 | 22.4 |
| 3 | 16.8 |
| 2 | 11.2 |
| 1 | 5.6 |
For regular hours spread over up to 5 days a week, multiply weekly hours by 5.6 to find the minimum annual leave in hours. For example, 20 hours a week gives 112 hours of holiday.
Leave starts building up from the first day of employment. For regular-hours workers in their first year, employers can use a monthly accrual system, giving one-twelfth of the annual allowance each month.
These figures can include bank holidays. Your contract may offer more leave, and starters or leavers receive a proportion of the full-year allowance. Irregular-hours and part-year workers follow different accrual rules.
Source: GOV.UK holiday entitlement guidance.
How UK holiday entitlement is worked out
Almost all workers are entitled to paid holiday. The amount depends on their working pattern, contract and how much of the holiday year they are employed for.
5.6 weeks is the legal minimum
Someone who works 5 days a week gets at least 28 days of paid holiday a year. Someone who works 3 days a week gets at least 16.8 days.
Part-time leave is proportional
A part-time employee usually gets a share of the full-time allowance based on the days or hours they work. The same 5.6-week statutory minimum applies to their working pattern.
Mid-year joiners and leavers are pro-rated
When someone starts or leaves part-way through the holiday year, they only receive the allowance for the part of the year they are employed. This calculator works that out using calendar days.
Bank holidays are a policy choice
Bank holidays do not have to be given on top of the 5.6-week minimum. You can include them in the annual allowance or offer them separately. Make this clear in your contracts and holiday policy.
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Common questions about holiday entitlement
Quick answers about statutory holiday, part-time employees and changes during the holiday year.
Almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year. For a regular 5-day week, that is 28 days. Part-time workers get a proportional amount, such as 16.8 days for a 3-day week. Bank holidays can count towards this minimum, and employers can offer more.
For regular-hours workers in their first year, an employer can use monthly accrual. Divide the annual allowance by 12. A 28-day allowance builds up at about 2.33 days a month, or 7 days after three months. The amount depends on the employee’s allowance; irregular-hours and part-year workers follow different rules.
For regular hours spread over up to 5 days a week, multiply weekly hours by 5.6. Someone working 30 hours a week gets at least 168 hours of annual leave. If they work more than 5 days a week, apply the 28-day cap when converting to hours. Irregular-hours and part-year workers generally accrue leave at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period. This calculator covers regular working patterns.
Almost all workers get at least 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year. For a 5-day week that is 28 days. Employers can offer more in the contract.
For the statutory minimum, multiply the number of days they work each week by 5.6. For contractual leave, work out their share of the full-time allowance based on their working pattern.
Start with their full-year allowance, then adjust it for the part of the holiday year they are employed. This calculator uses the dates you enter to do that for you.
Bank holidays are not a separate legal entitlement. You can include them in the 5.6 weeks or give them on top. Make your approach clear in the employment contract and holiday policy.
Using hours can be helpful when working days are different lengths or someone works compressed hours. The statutory allowance is still based on 5.6 weeks and is then converted into hours.
No. Holiday pay and entitlement for irregular-hours and part-year workers follow different rules. Use the GOV.UK holiday entitlement calculator for those working patterns.
It follows GOV.UK rules for regular working patterns, including the statutory cap and adjustments for part of a holiday year. Check unusual contracts, shift patterns and irregular hours separately.
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