UK Statutory Holiday Entitlement 2026: Complete Reference Guide

Every worker in the UK is legally entitled to paid annual leave. Understanding exactly how much leave your employees are owed — and how to calculate it correctly for part-time and irregular hours workers — is essential for staying compliant.

This guide covers the statutory minimums, calculation methods, and the most common mistakes employers make with holiday entitlement.

2026 statutory minimums at a glance

How to calculate entitlement for part-time workers

Part-time workers are entitled to a pro-rata share of the full-time entitlement. The formula is:

Days worked per week × 5.6 = annual holiday entitlement in days

For example, an employee working 3 days per week: 3 × 5.6 = 16.8 days.

Use our PTO Accrual Calculator to run these calculations instantly for any working pattern.

Carry-over rules

Workers who cannot take all their statutory leave within the leave year may be entitled to carry untaken leave into the following year. The rules vary depending on the reason leave was not taken.

Common employer mistakes to avoid

The most frequent errors we see are failing to pro-rate correctly for part-time staff, not accruing holiday for workers on zero-hours contracts, and forgetting that statutory holiday entitlement continues to accrue during sick leave and maternity leave.

Getting these calculations right protects your business from tribunal claims and builds trust with your team.