How do I calculate part-time holiday entitlement?

Use normal working days or hours per week and apply the 5.6-week statutory baseline.

Is part-time holiday always pro-rata?

It is generally pro-rated against a full-time pattern, but your contract terms still apply.

Should part-time entitlement include bank holidays?

That depends on the contract and policy. Employers can include bank holidays in total entitlement.

Part-Time Holiday Entitlement

Calculate annual leave for part-time workers using days-per-week or hours-per-week methods.

Calculate your entitlement

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Full-year entitlement

Pro-rata entitlement

Holiday remaining

Part-time entitlement guidance

For most workers, holiday entitlement is based on 5.6 weeks per leave year. Enter your normal part-time pattern to estimate both full-year entitlement and pro-rata leave where relevant.

Part-time holiday entitlement

Part-time workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of annual leave, calculated proportionally based on the number of days or hours they work each week.

How part-time holiday entitlement works

The statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks applies to all workers regardless of hours. For part-time employees, 5.6 weeks is multiplied by the number of days (or hours) worked per week. Part-time workers cannot be treated less favourably than full-time workers for holiday purposes.

Formula: Entitlement = 5.6 weeks × days worked per week

Worked examples — part-time holiday entitlement

3 days per week: 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days (typically rounded up to 17 days)

4 days per week: 5.6 × 4 = 22.4 days

2.5 days per week: 5.6 × 2.5 = 14 days

Worked example — hours-based calculation

Worker does 20 hours/week (full-time equivalent: 37.5 hrs)

Proportion: 20 ÷ 37.5 = 0.533 | Full-time entitlement: 28 days

Part-time entitlement: 28 × 0.533 = 14.93 days (round up to 15 days)

Who is this calculator for?

Part-time employees checking their legal minimum holiday entitlement, employers calculating holiday pay for part-time staff, HR administrators managing mixed-hours teams, and anyone transitioning from full-time to part-time who wants to understand their new leave entitlement.

Frequently asked questions

How is part-time holiday entitlement calculated?

Multiply 5.6 weeks by the number of days you work per week. A 3-day week gives 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days. A 4-day week gives 22.4 days. Fractions of days can be rounded up — your employer cannot round down if it results in less than the statutory minimum.

Do I get bank holidays as a part-time worker?

Yes, on a pro-rata basis. If bank holidays fall on days you work, they count towards your entitlement (if your contract includes them). If bank holidays fall on days you do not work, you are still entitled to a pro-rata portion — your employer should give you an equivalent day off on another day.

What happens if I work irregular hours each week?

Use an hours-based calculation: 5.6 weeks multiplied by your average weekly hours, capped at 28 days. Divide your total annual hours by the full-time equivalent hours to get your proportion of full-time entitlement. For very irregular hours, a 12-week average is commonly used.

Can I carry over unused holiday as a part-time worker?

The same carry-over rules apply to part-time and full-time workers. Under normal circumstances, the statutory 4 weeks (20 days full-time equivalent) cannot be carried over. The additional 1.6 weeks may be carried over if your employer allows it. Unused statutory holiday due to long-term sickness can be carried over for up to 18 months.

Is holiday pay for part-time workers calculated differently?

Holiday pay should be based on normal remuneration — for part-time workers this means pay at your normal hourly or daily rate. If you receive regular overtime or commission, recent case law (including Flowers v East of England Ambulance Trust) suggests this may also need to be included in holiday pay calculations.