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Holiday entitlement calculator

Work out the statutory paid holiday for a member of staff on regular hours: 5.6 weeks a year, capped at 28 days, pro-rata for part-time staff and for someone who starts part way through the leave year.

The rules

Almost all workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year. Someone on a 5-day week gets at least 28 days. Part-time staff on regular hours get 5.6 times the days they work, so 3 days a week is 16.8 days. Statutory paid holiday is capped at 28 days, so someone working 6 days a week still gets 28. Employers can include bank holidays in the statutory leave (GOV.UK).

Starting part way through the year

Someone who starts part way through the leave year gets part of the year's leave, depending on how much is left. GOV.UK's example: a 5-day worker entitled to 28 days who starts on 13 January gets 2.5 days for January (28 ÷ 12 = 2.33, rounded up to the nearest half day). Under an accrual system in the first year, they build up one-twelfth a month, so 7 days after 3 months (GOV.UK).

Carrying leave over

The contract says how much leave can be carried over. Someone who gets 28 days can carry over up to 8 days. There are separate rules for sickness and family leave (GOV.UK).

Irregular hours?

Staff whose hours change from week to week, and part-year workers, build up holiday at 12.07% of hours worked for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024. Use the holiday pay calculator for irregular hours instead.

Taking someone on? See the cost of employing someone calculator and the statutory notice period calculator.

Rules from GOV.UK, checked 17 October 2026. Covers the statutory minimum only; the contract may give more.

Questions

How many days' holiday is a part-time worker entitled to?

5.6 times the days they work a week. For 3 days a week, that's 16.8 days a year.

Do bank holidays count?

They can. Employers can include bank holidays in the 5.6 weeks, or give them on top. There's no legal right to bank holidays as extra paid leave.

Is anyone entitled to more than 28 days by law?

No. Statutory paid holiday is capped at 28 days, even for staff working 6 or 7 days a week. Employers can choose to give more.

Does this work for irregular hours?

No. Use the irregular hours calculator, which uses the 12.07% accrual rate.