Full-year entitlement
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How bank holidays work in the UK
UK workers have a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks annual leave (28 days for a full-time 5-day week worker). Bank holidays are not automatically additional to this — whether they come on top of or are included within your 28 days depends entirely on your employment contract.
England and Wales have 8 bank holidays per year. If your employer includes them in your 28-day entitlement, you effectively get 20 days to book freely plus 8 bank holidays. If bank holidays are additional, you get 28 free-choice days plus 8 bank holidays = 36 days total.
Worked example — bank holidays included in entitlement
Contract: 28 days total holiday (bank holidays included)
Bank holidays in year: 8
Days to book freely: 28 − 8 = 20 days
Note: You must use 8 days on bank holidays, leaving 20 days of choice.
Worked example — bank holidays on top of entitlement
Contract: 28 days plus bank holidays
Total leave available: 28 + 8 = 36 days
Note: You can book all 28 days as you choose, and bank holidays are taken automatically.
Who is this calculator for?
Employees checking whether their contract includes or excludes bank holidays from their entitlement, HR managers calculating team holiday balances, and workers in jobs that require them to work on bank holidays (who are entitled to an alternative day off or pay in lieu, depending on their contract).
Frequently asked questions
Are bank holidays included in statutory annual leave?
The statutory minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) can include bank holidays — it is up to each employer whether to include or exclude them. Check your contract. “28 days including bank holidays” and “28 days plus bank holidays” are very different entitlements.
What if I have to work on a bank holiday?
If your contract requires you to work on bank holidays, you should receive either a day off in lieu (at a time agreed with your employer) or additional pay, depending on your contract terms. There is no automatic right to double pay on bank holidays under UK law — it is a contractual matter.
Can my employer force me to take annual leave on bank holidays?
Yes, if your contract specifies that bank holidays are included in your total entitlement. Your employer can designate when you take some of your leave. They must give you notice of at least twice the length of the leave period they are requiring you to take.
How many bank holidays are there in England in 2025?
There are 8 bank holidays in England and Wales in a standard year: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank holiday arrangements.
Do part-time workers get bank holidays?
Part-time workers are entitled to bank holidays on a pro-rata basis. If a bank holiday falls on a day you do not normally work, you are still entitled to time off equivalent to the pro-rata portion of the bank holiday. Use the part-time holiday entitlement calculator on this site to calculate your full entitlement.