{"id":97,"date":"2026-09-02T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/?p=97"},"modified":"2026-07-04T17:48:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T17:48:32","slug":"statutory-holiday-entitlement-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/guides\/statutory-holiday-entitlement-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Statutory Holiday Entitlement Explained (5.6 Weeks Rule)"},"content":{"rendered":"

How the UK’s 5.6-week statutory holiday entitlement works for full-time, part-time and irregular-hours staff.<\/p>\n

The 5.6-week rule<\/h2>\n

Full-time workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year \u2014 commonly expressed as 28 days for someone working a standard 5-day week, since 5.6 weeks \u00d7 5 days = 28 days.<\/p>\n

Part-time staff<\/h2>\n

Entitlement is pro-rated based on hours or days actually worked \u2014 a part-timer working 3 days a week is entitled to 5.6 \u00d7 3 = 16.8 days, not the full 28.<\/p>\n

Irregular hours<\/h2>\n

For genuinely irregular or zero-hours workers, entitlement is typically calculated as 12.07% of hours worked, reflecting the same underlying 5.6-week proportion applied to variable hours.<\/p>\n

Work out entitlement for any pattern with the Payslp Holiday Entitlement calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A worked example for irregular hours<\/h2>\n

Someone working an average of 20 hours a week across a year accrues 20 \u00d7 12.07% \u2248 2.4 hours of holiday entitlement per week worked \u2014 a small, easy-to-miscalculate figure that’s worth tracking carefully rather than estimating.<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n

Can holiday entitlement be carried over to the next year?<\/strong>
\nLimited carry-over is sometimes permitted, particularly for leave not taken due to sickness or statutory leave, but general unused holiday is often lost at year-end unless the employer’s policy explicitly allows carry-over.<\/p>\n

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Related reading<\/h2>\n