Holiday entitlement calculator

Almost every UK worker is legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days. Enter your working pattern and this calculator shows your statutory minimum — in days or hours — with the working underneath.

Statutory paid holiday, all UK workers

2026/27

5.6 weeks per year (max 28 days)

Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks pro-rata. Bank holidays can be counted within it — they are not extra by law.

How the entitlement is worked out

The formula in the Working Time Regulations is simple: days (or hours) worked per week × 5.6. A 5-day week gives 5 × 5.6 = 28 days. The law then caps statutory leave at 28 days, so working 6 days a week still gives 28 — not 33.6.

Statutory minimum by days worked per week (2026/27)
Days per week	Entitlement
5 or more	28 days
4	22.4 days
3	16.8 days
2	11.2 days
1	5.6 days

Your contract can give more than the statutory minimum — many do. It can never give less. If you work irregular hours or a zero-hours contract, entitlement accrues instead at 12.07% of the hours you actually work.

Common questions

Are bank holidays included in the 28 days?

There is no statutory right to bank holidays off. An employer can count all 8 English bank holidays inside your 28-day minimum — 20 days of free choice plus 8 fixed is fully legal. Check your contract wording. Part-timers: see our bank holiday pro-rata calculator.

I started mid-year — what do I get?

A starter accrues the year's entitlement pro-rata from their start date. Use the pro-rata calculator; employers usually round up to the nearest half day.

Does overtime count towards holiday pay?

Regular overtime and commission must be reflected in holiday pay for at least 4 of the 5.6 weeks, averaged over a 52-week reference period. The entitlement (time off) itself is based on your normal working pattern.

Is the entitlement different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No — the 5.6-week minimum applies UK-wide. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank-holiday dates, but bank holidays are not a separate statutory right anywhere in the UK.

Sources for the figures on this page

Last checked 3 July 2026

How we keep these current: methodology & update policy.