How much statutory paid holiday do most workers get?

Acas says workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' statutory paid holiday a year, and bank holidays may be included in that total.

What happens to unused statutory holiday when someone leaves a job?

Acas says an employer must pay in lieu for any untaken statutory holiday entitlement the worker has accrued when they leave.

Home / Tools / Holiday Entitlement Calculator

Competition-improved core tool

Holiday Entitlement Calculator

Page purpose

This page is for regular working-pattern holiday checks, not full irregular-hours holiday planning.

Estimate statutory paid holiday for regular working patterns using the core 5.6-weeks rule, with a simpler pro-rata input based on how many months of the leave year the estimate should cover.

Holiday calculation mode This keeps the tool simple while handling the most common regular-pattern scenarios competitors surface more clearly. Average days worked each week Months of the leave year this should cover Use 12 for a full leave year. Use a smaller number for a simpler pro-rata estimate. Carry-over days from the previous leave year (optional) Bank holidays are included in the annual allowance I am checking Holiday already taken so far (only for leaver checks)

Holiday policy context matters:

Strong holiday competitors often make the policy layer clearer. This page now prompts users to think about carry-over and whether bank holidays are included, but the employer’s holiday policy can still affect the practical answer.

Why this page was improved:

Strong holiday competitors handle starters, leavers, and practical balance checks more naturally. This version now handles those regular-pattern scenarios more directly without trying to turn into a full HR software tool.

Why this page was improved:

Competing holiday tools are easier to use because they frame pro-rata questions more naturally. This version replaces the abstract fraction input with a simpler months-covered input for regular patterns.

Which regular-pattern scenario sounds closest?

Use standard mode for a simple annual check, starter mode for joining part way through the leave year, and leaver mode when you need a simple accrued-vs-taken balance check.

Where this page still stops

If hours are irregular or the working year is not regular, the official GOV.UK calculator route is still the safer next step.

Open official holiday calculator

Reviewed status

Last reviewed: 28 March 2026

Current build status: Batch 6 competition-informed improvement

Scope: regular working patterns and simple pro-rata checks.

Core rule used

Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks' statutory paid holiday a year.
If someone works 5 days a week, that is 28 days a year.
Bank holidays may be included in that total.

Check next:

If this is really a leaving-work question, go to the final pay page next. If this is really an irregular-hours question, use the official GOV.UK calculator route next.

Official sources used

Source and review block

Acas: checking holiday entitlement

Used for the core 5.6-weeks rule and the simple example that someone working 5 days a week has 28 days of statutory paid holiday a year.

Open official source

GOV.UK: calculate holiday entitlement

Used to confirm the official calculator paths for full leave years, part leave years, and irregular-hours or part-year accrual routes.

Open official source