Leave HackerGuidesPlan my yearHow do I get the most days off from my annual leave?
25 days of leave, 64 days off
Book the working days between a bank holiday and a weekend, so each day of leave brings free days with it. Planned that way, 25 days of leave and England and Wales's 8 bank holidays make 64 days off in 2027, across 13 breaks.
Four rules of thumb
- Bridge to the weekend. A Monday bank holiday plus Tuesday to Friday off is 9 days for 4: in early May 2027, book Tue 4 to Fri 7 May.
- Stack two bank holidays. Easter has two, so 4 days of leave make 10 off: Mon 22 to Thu 25 Mar.
- Christmas is the best deal of the year when the bank holidays fall midweek or move to the Monday: Wed 29 to Fri 31 Dec gives 10 days off in 2027.
- Spread the rest. One day next to a weekend is a three-day weekend; a long weekend each month beats lone Fridays you forget to plan.
The 2027 deals, best value first
| Break | Book | Days off | Per day of leave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter | Thu 25 Mar | 5 | 5 |
| Christmas | Fri 24 Dec | 5 | 5 |
| New Year’s Day | Mon 4 Jan | 4 | 4 |
| Early May bank holiday | Fri 30 Apr | 4 | 4 |
| Spring bank holiday | Fri 28 May | 4 | 4 |
| Summer bank holiday | Fri 27 Aug | 4 | 4 |
England and Wales, Monday to Friday, January to December leave year. Every break, ranked, with Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Put together
The planner picks the set of breaks with the most days off for your allowance, at least two weeks apart, with two proper holidays and the rest long weekends. With 25 days in 2027: 64 days off. The plan, break by break.
Your own year depends on your allowance, your working days, when your leave year starts and school holidays. Plan yours in a minute.
Sources
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
What is the best day to book off?
The working day that joins a bank holiday to a weekend. In 2027 in England and Wales, Thu 25 Mar alone gives 5 days off at Easter.
Is it better to take long weekends or one big holiday?
Long weekends score more days off on paper, because every Friday or Monday off brings a weekend with it. A mix, with two longer breaks around Easter and Christmas, gets you proper time away and still stretches your leave.