In the UK, annual leave refers to the paid time off work that employees are entitled to each year.
Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, most full-time employees are entitled to a minimum of 28 days of paid holiday per year, which includes public (bank) holidays. This entitlement is also referred to as “statutory annual leave.”
Review all formalities related to annual leave, and check our guide for tips on requesting leave from your employer.
Overview of Annual Leave
Annual leave in the UK has developed as part of the broader recognition of workers' rights and the need to balance work with personal time. Its evolution is tied to industrialisation, labour movements, and the introduction of legislation aimed at protecting employees.
The most significant legal development for annual leave in the UK came with the introduction of the Working Time Regulations 1998. This legislation implemented the EU Working Time Directive, giving all workers the legal right to a minimum amount of paid holiday.
Initially, the entitlement was set at 20 days, but it was later increased to 28 days (including public holidays) in 2009.
Annual Leave for Full-time Workers
Full-time workers (those who work 5 days a week) are entitled to a minimum of 28 days of paid leave per year under current law. This is equivalent to 5.6 weeks of holiday.
Employees begin accruing holiday entitlement from the moment they start work, even during their probationary period. For example, if an employee works part of the year, their holiday entitlement is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
Annual Leave and Part-time Workers
Part-time workers' leave is calculated proportionally, based on the number of days they work each week.
For instance, someone who works 3 days a week would be entitled to 16.8 days of paid leave (3 days × 5.6 weeks).
💡 If an employee falls ill during their annual leave, they are entitled to reschedule their holiday for another time, ensuring they do not lose out on holiday time due to illness.
Bank Holidays Impact on Annual Leave
The UK has 8 public (bank) holidays in England and Wales, with Scotland and Northern Ireland having additional public holidays.
In the UK, bank holidays and annual leave are connected, but how they are treated depends on the employer's specific policy.
- No statutory right to take bank holidays off: There is no law that automatically gives employees the right to take bank holidays as paid time off. Employers can decide whether employees get these days off.
- Bank holidays can be part of the 28 days: Employers can include the 8 bank holidays in the 28-day statutory entitlement.
If an employer includes bank holidays, employees would have 20 days of regular annual leave, plus the 8 bank holidays, totalling 28 days.
If an employer does not include bank holidays in the entitlement, employees would get the 28 days of annual leave and bank holidays as additional paid days off.
Example Scenarios
- Bank Holidays Included: If your employer includes bank holidays in the statutory 28 days, you could take 8 days off for bank holidays, leaving you with 20 days of annual leave for the rest of the year.
- Bank Holidays Not Included: If your employer does not count bank holidays as part of your annual leave entitlement, you get 28 days of annual leave, plus an additional 8 days off for the bank holidays (totaling 36 days).
Bank Holidays in the UK
- New Year's Day (1st January)
- Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
- Easter Monday (Monday following Easter Sunday)
- Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May)
- Spring Bank Holiday (Last Monday in May)
- Summer Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August)
- Christmas Day (25th December)
- Boxing Day (26th December)
Annual Leave Request Step-by-Step
Using annual leave in the UK is relatively straightforward, but it involves following your employer's procedures and adhering to legal guidelines.
- Review your contract or employment policy to know how much annual leave you are entitled to.
- Employers often require you to provide notice, usually at least twice the length of the leave you're requesting (e.g., for 5 days off, give at least 10 days' notice). Consider busy periods at your workplace or any black-out dates where taking leave might not be permitted.
- Most companies have a formal process for requesting annual leave, make sure to submit your request early, especially if you're planning to take time off during busy holiday periods (e.g., Christmas, summer).
- Your employer has the right to approve or deny leave requests, usually based on business needs. However, they must not refuse your entire entitlement in a year.
- Once your leave is approved, you can take the time off as scheduled.
During your leave, you're entitled to normal pay, and your employer cannot ask you to work or cancel your leave without a valid reason and proper notice.
💡 If annual leave is denied, your employer should give a good reason and, where possible, suggest alternative dates.
Annual Leave Request Letter – Free Template
You can find a simple template for an annual leave request letter below.
Annual Leave Request Letter
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Postcode]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]
[Manager’s Name]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[City, Postcode]
Dear [Manager's Name],
I am writing to formally request annual leave from [start date] to [end date], inclusive. This would be a total of [number of days] working days off.
Please let me know if these dates are convenient, or if any adjustments need to be made. I am happy to discuss this further if necessary.
Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your confirmation.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
💡Stay tuned: Aatos will soon launch a new service that allows you to create an Annual Leave Request Letter and other legal documents in just minutes.
Unused Annual Leave
Some employers allow workers to carry over unused leave into the next holiday year. The statutory minimum only allows carry-over of up to 8 days in specific circumstances (such as long-term illness), though individual employment contracts may offer more flexibility.
Employers may require employees to take their leave at certain times, particularly in industries that shut down for holidays, but they must give notice, usually twice the length of the time off requested.
