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.

Worked example

Priya works three days each week throughout the leave year.

Holiday entitlement for a three-day working week
Working pattern	3 days a week
Calculation	3 × 5.6 weeks = 16.8 days
Statutory entitlement	16.8 days a year

The 28-day cap does not reduce this result. Priya's contract may provide more, but 16.8 days is the statutory minimum for this pattern.

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.