Holiday entitlement
Holiday pay
Workers are entitled to a week鈥檚 pay for each week of statutory leave that they take.
Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks鈥� paid holiday a year. You can use the holiday calculator to work out how much leave someone should get.
How to work out a week鈥檚 pay
A week鈥檚 pay is worked out according to the kind of hours someone works and how they鈥檙e paid for the hours. This includes full-time, part-time, term-time and casual workers.
| Working pattern | How a week鈥檚 pay is calculated |
|---|---|
| Regular hours and fixed pay (full- or part-time) | A worker鈥檚 pay for a week |
| Shift work with regular hours (full- or part-time) | The average number of weekly fixed hours a worker has worked in the previous 52 weeks, at their average hourly rate |
| Irregular-hours and part-year work | A worker鈥檚 average pay from the previous 52 weeks (only counting weeks in which they were paid) |
Calculating average hourly or weekly rate
To calculate average hourly rate, only the hours worked and how much was paid for them should be counted. Take the average rate over the last 52 weeks.
A 鈥榳eek鈥� usually runs from Sunday to Saturday. Only use another 7-day period (like Thursday to Wednesday) if that鈥檚 how a worker鈥檚 pay is calculated.
If no pay was paid in any week, count back another week so the rate is based on 52 weeks in which pay was paid. You can count back a maximum of 104 weeks to find these.聽聽
If a worker has less than 52 weeks of pay, use the average pay rate for the full weeks they have worked.
Workers who are paid monthly
To work out a week鈥檚 pay for someone who鈥檚 paid monthly:
-
Calculate the worker鈥檚 average hourly pay for the last month. Do this by dividing the month鈥檚 pay by the number of hours worked in the month.
-
Calculate the weekly pay. Do this by multiplying the average hourly pay by the number of hours worked in a week.
Use the weekly pay calculation for each of the last 52 weeks to work out an average week鈥檚 pay.
鈥楤asic鈥� and 鈥榥ormal鈥� rate of pay
For regular-hours workers (full- or part-time), employers must pay:
- at least 4 weeks of the worker鈥檚 statutory entitlement at their 鈥榥ormal鈥� rate of pay
- the remaining 1.6 weeks at a 鈥榖asic鈥� rate of pay
For workers who work part of the year, employers must also follow these rules if the worker鈥檚 leave year began on or before 31 March 2024.
For irregular-hours workers or those who work part of the year, all leave must be paid at their 鈥榥ormal鈥� rate of pay.
鈥楴ormal鈥� rate of pay includes commission, regular overtime payments, and any payments related to length of service or professional qualifications. It does not usually include bonus payments.
Rolled-up holiday pay
For regular-hours workers (full- or part- time), an employer cannot include an amount for holiday pay in the hourly rate (known as 鈥榬olled-up holiday pay鈥�).
Employers can use rolled-up holiday pay for irregular-hours and part-year workers, unless their leave year began on or before 31 March 2024.
More information
罢丑别谤别鈥檚 guidance for calculating holiday pay for workers without fixed hours or pay, which includes several examples.
You can also contact the with questions about general holiday pay issues.
Acas helpline
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