Almost all workers get 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year. For a 5-day week that is 28 days, which is also the legal maximum. Multiply the days worked each week by 5.6: someone working 3 days a week gets 16.8 days. Employers can count bank holidays as part of the 5.6 weeks, and contracts can give more, not less.
1. Days a week × 5.6. Statutory leave is 5.6 weeks. Multiply the days the worker normally works in a week by 5.6.
2. Cap at 28 days. Statutory paid holiday is capped at 28 days, so someone who works 6 days a week still gets 28.
3. Pro-rata for part of a year. If they join or leave part way through the leave year, multiply the full entitlement by the share of the year they are employed. You can round part days up, but not down.
4. Bank holidays. There is no legal right to paid leave on bank holidays. If you give them, you can count them as part of the 5.6 weeks.
Worked example. A part-time employee works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7.5 hours a day. 3 × 5.6 = 16.8 days, or 126 hours. A full-timer working Monday to Friday gets 5 × 5.6 = 28 days. If the leave year runs January to December and someone starts on 1 July, they get about half: 14 days for a full-timer.
Frequently asked questions
How many days holiday am I entitled to?
At least 5.6 weeks a year. For a 5-day week that is 28 days, which can include bank holidays. Part-time workers get 5.6 times the days they work in a week.
How do I work out holiday for a part-time worker?
Multiply the days they work each week by 5.6. For example, 3 days a week gives 16.8 days. You can also work it in hours: hours a week × 5.6.
Are bank holidays included in the 28 days?
They can be. GOV.UK says an employer can include bank holidays as part of statutory annual leave. Check the contract.
Can someone working 6 days a week get more than 28 days?
Not by law. Statutory paid holiday is capped at 28 days, though the contract can give more.
What about zero-hours or irregular-hours workers?
For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, irregular-hours and part-year workers build up holiday at 12.07% of hours worked instead. Use the holiday pay calculator.
How do I work out holiday for someone who starts part way through the year?
Multiply the full-year entitlement by the fraction of the leave year they work. You can round up part days, but you must not round down.
Read next
- GuideHoliday entitlement: how much holiday workers get
- GuideHow to calculate holiday pay for irregular-hours and part-year workers in the UK
- CalculatorStatutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator 2026/27
- CalculatorUK Holiday Pay Calculator (12.07%)
- CalculatorMinimum Wage Checker 2026/27
Sources
Statutory holiday for workers in England, Scotland and Wales with regular hours (Northern Ireland uses similar rules, see nidirect). Irregular-hours and part-year workers use the 12.07% method.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice. Last checked 4 November 2026 against the sources above.