Leave HackerGuidesPlan my yearHow much annual leave am I entitled to?
5.6 weeks: 28 days for a 5-day week
Almost all workers in the UK are entitled to at least 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year. For a five-day week that's 28 days, and your employer can count the bank holidays as part of it. The legal minimum stops at 28 days, even if you work six days a week.
Work out yours
Multiply the days you work each week by 5.6. Paid by the hour? Multiply your weekly hours by 5.6.
| You work | Minimum paid holiday |
|---|---|
| 5 days a week | 28 days |
| 4 days a week | 22.4 days |
| 3 days a week | 16.8 days |
| 2 days a week | 11.2 days |
| 1 day a week | 5.6 days |
| 6 days a week | 28 days (the cap) |
| 37.5 hours a week | 210 hours |
| 35 hours a week | 196 hours |
| 20 hours a week | 112 hours |
If your hours change from week to week, or you only work part of the year, it's worked out differently: holiday for irregular hours.
Is it 28 days plus bank holidays?
Not by law. The 28 days can include the 8 bank holidays in England and Wales, leaving 20 to book. Many contracts give more, such as “25 days plus bank holidays” (33 in all). Your contract or written statement says which you have. Do bank holidays count as annual leave?
Who it covers
- Employees and workers, including agency workers, people on zero-hours contracts and people on irregular hours or part-year contracts.
- From your first day: holiday builds up during probation too. Starting a new job.
- Not the self-employed, who aren't usually entitled to paid holiday.
- In Northern Ireland the minimum is the same 5.6 weeks (nidirect).
Sources
- gov.uk: Holiday entitlement
- Acas: How much holiday someone gets
- nidirect: Holiday entitlements (Northern Ireland)
- gov.uk: Holiday entitlement calculator
Checked on 26 October 2026. This is general information about the legal minimum in the UK, not legal advice: your contract can give you more, and can set its own rules for notice and carrying over. For help with your own situation, call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 (England, Scotland and Wales) or the Labour Relations Agency on 03300 555 300 (Northern Ireland).
More questions
How many days is 5.6 weeks?
It depends on your week: 5.6 times the days you work. 28 days for five days a week, 22.4 for four, 16.8 for three.
Can my employer give me less than 28 days?
Not if you work five days a week or more: 28 days, which can include bank holidays, is the legal minimum. Part-time workers get 5.6 weeks pro rata.
Is the 28 days capped?
Yes. The statutory minimum is limited to 28 days, so someone working six days a week still gets 28. Employers can give more.