A full-time employee is entitled to four weeks  paid holiday each year. This can be inclusive or exclusive of national holidays (detailed later) and days when the business traditionally shuts down (i.e. the Christmas period).

For example, if an employee is contracted to work 5 days a week, the employee is entitled to:

5 days x 4 weeks = 20 days holiday per year

If the employee is contracted to 6 days per week, then their holiday entitlement is:

6 days x 4 weeks = 24 days holiday per year

A part-time or temporary employee is entitled to the same holiday on a pro-rata basis. For example, a part time employee working 2 days per week is entitled to:

2 days x 4 weeks = 8 days holiday per year

An employees' 'yearly' holiday entitlement starts on the first day of employment or on a date that is specified by the employer.

Holiday days are attributed to those days that an employee is contracted to. For example if an employee works Monday to Friday and takes one week off work (Monday to Sunday inclusive), then this will only count as five days.

Un-used Holidays

If an employee does not use all of their entitled holiday days during the agreed period, the employer is not liable to give the employee a 'pay-off' for un-used holidays. In addition, un-used holidays cannot be carried over to the next holiday period.

If an employment contract is terminated, only then is an employee liable to a pay off for un-used days.

National Holidays

Each year, the UK has 8 National holiday days. However, there is no law claiming that employees are entitled to a day off on a National holiday (i.e. bank holidays). You are also not liable to pay an employee extra money to work on such days.

In addition, there is no law claiming that employees are entitled to pay if they take the day off during a National holiday. In some cases, National holidays may be included in the employees' holiday entitlement.

Relevant Articles

Employee Working Hours & Break Entitlement:
Part Time Workers: