Holiday Pay Calculator UK 2026/27
Work out your statutory holiday entitlement and pay, including irregular hours
UK statutory holiday entitlement
- Minimum entitlement: 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year for full-time workers, capped at 28 days even if you work more than 5 days a week
- Fixed hours workers: multiply your days worked per week by 5.6 to get your annual entitlement in days
- Irregular hours and zero-hours workers: holiday accrues at 12.07% of hours worked (this is 5.6 weeks ÷ 46.4 remaining working weeks), often paid as "rolled-up holiday pay" added to each payslip
- Part-time workers: entitled to the same 5.6 weeks pro-rated for their working pattern — e.g. someone working 3 days/week gets 16.8 days (3 × 5.6)
Worked example: fixed hours
Someone working 5 days a week with a daily rate of £120:
| Days worked per week | 5 |
| Statutory entitlement (5 × 5.6) | 28 days |
| Daily rate | £120.00 |
| Total holiday pay value | £3,360.00 |
Worked example: irregular hours (12.07% method)
A zero-hours worker who worked 1,200 hours in the year at £15/hour:
| Total hours worked | 1,200 |
| Holiday accrual (12.07% of hours) | 144.8 hours |
| Hourly rate | £15.00 |
| Total holiday pay value | £2,172.00 |
Frequently asked questions
Full-time workers get a minimum of 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid holiday per year. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks pro-rated to their working pattern.
For irregular hours and zero-hours workers, holiday entitlement is calculated as 12.07% of hours worked, since 5.6 weeks of holiday is equivalent to 12.07% of the 46.4 weeks remaining in a working year.
Rolled-up holiday pay means holiday pay is added to each payslip as an extra 12.07% on top of wages, rather than being paid separately when the worker takes leave. This is a legal option for irregular hours workers.
No — 5.6 weeks (capped at 28 days) is the legal minimum in the UK. Many employers offer more as a contractual benefit, but cannot offer less than the statutory minimum.
📄 Official sources
Related calculators
All calculations run entirely in your browser. No data is sent to our servers, stored, or shared with any third party.
Results are estimates based on 2026/27 HMRC and DWP rates and are intended as a guide only. They do not constitute financial, tax, or employment law advice. Always verify with HMRC, ACAS, or a qualified adviser for your specific circumstances.