How-To
How to Calculate Holiday Entitlement UK: A Simple Formula
A straightforward guide to calculating UK holiday entitlement for every type of worker — full-time, part-time, irregular hours, and starters or leavers — with worked examples and a quick-reference calculation table.
Published 10 June 2026 · 7 min read
The core formula: 5.6 weeks
Every UK holiday entitlement calculation starts from one number: 5.6 weeks. This is the statutory minimum set by the Working Time Regulations 1998, and it applies to almost all workers — employees, agency staff, casual workers, and zero-hours contract holders.
The formula is deceptively simple:
5.6 weeks × number of days you work per week = your annual holiday entitlement
For a full-time employee working five days per week: 5.6 × 5 = 28 days. This 28-day figure is the one most people recognise — but it is only correct for full-time, five-day-per-week workers. For everyone else, you must use the formula, not the memorised number.
For a deeper understanding of what the entitlement covers and how it interacts with company policies, see our article on UK statutory leave entitlement in 2026.
Quick-reference calculation table
Use this table to find the statutory minimum holiday entitlement for common working patterns:
Holiday Entitlement by Working Pattern
| Working pattern | Days per week | Calculation | Entitlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time | 5 | 5.6 × 5 | 28 days |
| 4 days/week | 4 | 5.6 × 4 | 22.4 days |
| 3 days/week | 3 | 5.6 × 3 | 16.8 days |
| 2 days/week | 2 | 5.6 × 2 | 11.2 days |
| 1 day/week | 1 | 5.6 × 1 | 5.6 days |
| Compressed hours (4 days) | 4 | 5.6 × 4 | 22.4 days |
| Term-time only (30h/week, 39 weeks) | N/A | Use 12.07% accrual | See irregular hours |
All figures are statutory minimums. Employers may round up partial days but must never round down.
Part-time calculation: worked examples
Example 1: Three days per week, fixed pattern
Sarah works Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday — three fixed days per week. Her entitlement is 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days. Rounded up, she gets 17 days. Because Sarah always works on Mondays, most bank holidays will fall on her working days and will be deducted from this allowance. Her remaining bookable leave is approximately 9 days (17 minus 8 bank holidays).
Example 2: Four days per week, compressed hours
James works four long days (Tuesday–Friday, 10 hours each). His entitlement is 5.6 × 4 = 22.4 days, which rounds up to 23. When James takes a day off, he uses one day of his allowance even though it represents 10 hours of work. The key principle: entitlement is calculated in days (or weeks), not hours, unless you explicitly use an hours-based system.
Example 3: Varied pattern (use hours)
Priya works different days each week — sometimes two, sometimes four. Her contract specifies 25 hours per week. The cleanest approach is to calculate her entitlement in hours: her average working day is 5 hours (25 ÷ 5), so her entitlement is 5.6 weeks × 25 hours = 140 hours of paid annual leave. When Priya books a day, she deducts the hours she would have worked that day.
Starters and leavers: the pro-rata formula
When an employee joins or leaves mid-year, you calculate their entitlement by the month:
(Annual entitlement ÷ 12) × complete months in the leave year
Example: Mid-year starter
Tom joins on 1 July 2026, and the company's leave year runs January to December. He works full-time (28 days entitlement) and serves 6 complete months (July–December). His entitlement: (28 ÷ 12) × 6 = 14 days.
Example: Mid-year leaver who has taken too much leave
Emma resigns effective 31 March 2026 (3 months into the leave year). Her full entitlement is 28 days. She has already taken 10 days. Her accrued entitlement: (28 ÷ 12) × 3 = 7 days. She has taken 3 days more than accrued. If her contract permits, the employer may deduct 3 days' pay from her final salary.
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Irregular hours and the 12.07% accrual method
For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, the UK introduced a new calculation framework for irregular-hours and part-year workers: 12.07% accrual. This is not a separate entitlement — it is simply 5.6 weeks expressed as a percentage of working time.
5.6 weeks ÷ 46.4 working weeks = 12.07%
For every hour worked, the employee accrues 7.2 minutes of paid holiday.
This method is mandatory for workers whose hours vary and who are paid by the hour or day. It applies per pay period: calculate 12.07% of hours worked in that period and add it to the holiday pay accrual. The accrued holiday pay must be paid at the same time as the worker is paid for the work done in that period.
This change simplified compliance for employers of casual and gig-economy workers — but it also means you must have accurate hour-tracking in place. LeaveKit's allowance engine handles both the traditional 5.6-week formula and the 12.07% accrual method, so you always calculate correctly regardless of worker type.
Common mistakes to avoid
Even experienced HR professionals make these calculation errors. Here are the five most common — and how to avoid them:
- Using 28 days for part-timers. The 28-day figure applies only to full-time, five-day-per-week workers. For everyone else, use the 5.6-week formula. A three-day-per-week worker is entitled to 16.8 days, not 28.
- Rounding down instead of up. 22.4 days must become at least 23, never 22. Rounding down breaches the statutory minimum.
- Forgetting bank holidays in the calculation. If a part-time worker does not normally work on Mondays, their 16.8-day entitlement cannot simply have 8 bank holidays deducted — that would be unfair. Use an hours-based approach or pro-rate the bank holidays too.
- Applying the wrong method for irregular hours. Since April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers use the 12.07% accrual method, not the traditional weeks-based formula. Using the wrong method can lead to significant underpayment or overpayment.
- Not adjusting for starters and leavers. An employee who joins in October is not entitled to the full 28 days. Calculate pro-rata by month, and ensure your contracts allow for deduction of overtaken leave on termination.
Stop calculating. Start tracking.
LeaveKit automatically calculates correct holiday entitlement for every worker type — from full-time to irregular hours — so you never make a formula mistake again.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for calculating holiday entitlement in the UK?
The core formula is: 5.6 weeks × number of days worked per week = annual holiday entitlement in days. For a full-time employee working 5 days per week: 5.6 × 5 = 28 days. For a part-time employee working 3 days per week: 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days. The result can be rounded up but must never be rounded down below the statutory minimum. For irregular-hours workers, holiday entitlement accrues at 12.07% of hours worked (for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024).
How do I calculate holiday entitlement for someone who works irregular hours?
For irregular-hours and part-year workers in leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, holiday entitlement accrues at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period. For example, if an irregular-hours worker works 80 hours in a month, they accrue 80 × 0.1207 = 9.66 hours of paid holiday. The 12.07% figure comes from 5.6 weeks ÷ 46.4 working weeks. This method, known as rolled-up holiday pay, was reintroduced for irregular-hours workers from 2024 onwards.
How is holiday entitlement calculated for new starters and leavers?
For employees who start or leave part-way through the leave year, calculate their entitlement pro-rata: (5.6 weeks × days worked per week) ÷ 12 × number of complete months worked in the leave year. For example, a full-time starter joining at the beginning of July (6 months into a January–December leave year) would be entitled to 28 ÷ 12 × 6 = 14 days. Any leave taken in excess of accrued entitlement at the point of leaving can be deducted from final pay if the employment contract allows.
Can employers round up or down when calculating holiday entitlement?
Employers can round up partial days — for example, 16.8 days can be rounded to 17 days. However, you must never round down below the statutory minimum. Rounding 16.8 days to 16 days would be a breach of the Working Time Regulations. Some employers choose to express entitlement in hours rather than days to avoid rounding issues entirely — this is particularly useful for part-time staff with non-standard working patterns.
Do bank holidays count towards the 5.6-week entitlement calculation?
Yes. The 5.6-week statutory entitlement includes bank holidays. For a full-time employee, the 28 days consists of 20 days of bookable annual leave plus 8 bank holidays. Employers can require employees to take bank holidays as part of their annual leave allowance. If you offer enhanced leave above the statutory minimum (e.g. 25 days plus bank holidays), the calculation is: enhanced days + bank holidays = total entitlement. Make sure your contracts clearly state whether bank holidays are included in or additional to the stated annual leave figure.
What is the most common mistake when calculating UK holiday entitlement?
The most common mistake is confusing 'weeks' and 'days' — the statutory entitlement is 5.6 weeks, not 28 days. For part-time workers, applying the 28-day figure without pro-rating is a frequent and costly error. Other common mistakes include: failing to account for bank holidays when calculating part-time entitlements; not adjusting for mid-year starters and leavers; and applying the wrong calculation method for irregular-hours workers since the 2024 rule changes. Using dedicated leave management software eliminates these calculation errors entirely.
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