Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave entitlement in the UK (2026)
Employees in the United Kingdom get at least 28 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (5.6 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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28 days a year (224 hours)
Statutory minimum 28 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for the United Kingdom; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 28 days | 5.6 weeks |
5.6 weeks a year: 28 days for a 5-day week. Employers may include bank holidays in the 28.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 28 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In the United Kingdom, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 28 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5.6 weeks.
In the United Kingdom, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 28 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 5.6 weeks. The legal wording: 5.6 weeks a year: 28 days for a 5-day week. Employers may include bank holidays in the 28.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 36, the same as 0 and lower than 1. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 28 days is about 10.8% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 28-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Bank holidays may count toward the 28-day minimum; the contract says whether they do. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for England and Wales lists 8 holidays, 8 of them on working days.
Sick leave: Statutory Sick Pay is a weekly payment from the employer, not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Bank holidays may count toward the 28-day minimum; the contract says whether they do. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for the United Kingdom, with .ics downloads.
Sources
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in the United Kingdom
The statutory minimum is 28 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5.6 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in the United Kingdom?
The statutory minimum is 28 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (5.6 weeks). 5.6 weeks a year: 28 days for a 5-day week. Employers may include bank holidays in the 28.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in the United Kingdom?
No service-based step is recorded here for the United Kingdom: the statutory minimum stays at 28 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in the United Kingdom?
Yes. Statutory Sick Pay is a weekly payment from the employer, not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in the United Kingdom?
Bank holidays may count toward the 28-day minimum; the contract says whether they do. In 2026 the calendar for England and Wales has 8 public holidays, 8 of them on working days.