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Holiday pay calculator for irregular hours

Work out the holiday an irregular-hours or part-year worker builds up each pay period at 12.07% of hours worked, or the rolled-up holiday pay to add to their wages. Uses the GOV.UK rules for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024.

The 12.07% rule

For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers build up holiday at 12.07% of the hours they actually work in each pay period. It's rounded to the nearest hour: up if the part-hour is 30 minutes or more, down if it's less. GOV.UK's example: 30 hours worked in a week gives 4 hours of leave (30 × 12.07 ÷ 100 = 3.621), which they can take from their next pay period (GOV.UK, checked 15 October 2026). Acas's example: 70 hours in a month gives 8 hours (Acas).

The 12.07% comes from the 5.6 weeks of statutory leave divided by the 46.4 weeks a year left to work (GOV.UK). If your contracts give more than the statutory minimum, Acas says you need to adjust the percentage.

Rolled-up holiday pay

For these workers only, you can pay holiday pay as a 12.07% uplift on their pay for work done, paid at the same time as that pay and shown separately on the payslip (Working Time Regulations 1998, regulation 16A). Using rolled-up holiday pay for anyone outside these groups is against the law, according to GOV.UK's SIA guidance (GOV.UK). The worker still builds up time off, but it's unpaid when they take it because they've already been paid for it. If you don't use rolled-up pay, holiday pay is based on average pay over the previous 52 weeks (GOV.UK).

Who counts as irregular-hours or part-year

An irregular-hours worker is someone whose paid hours in each pay period are wholly or mostly variable under their contract. A part-year worker is only required to work part of the year, with gaps of at least a week when they don't work and aren't paid. Staff on regular hours get 5.6 weeks a year in the usual way (GOV.UK). These rules are for England, Wales and Scotland; Northern Ireland has its own regulations.

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Based on GOV.UK and Acas, checked 15 October 2026. Not legal advice.

Questions

How is holiday calculated for irregular hours workers?

At 12.07% of the hours they actually work in each pay period, rounded to the nearest hour, for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024.

Is rolled-up holiday pay legal again?

Yes, for irregular-hours and part-year workers only, in leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024. It's 12.07% of pay for work done, paid at the same time and shown separately on the payslip.

Why 12.07%?

5.6 weeks of statutory leave divided by the 46.4 weeks left to work in a year.

What's the most holiday they can build up?

Up to the statutory 5.6 weeks a year, which is 28 days for someone working five days a week.