Skip to content
JL JobLabs

Pay & Benefits · UK 2026

How much holiday do I get in the UK?

Alex By Alex · 12-year UK recruiter · Updated April 2026

The statutory minimum. UK Working Time Regulations require 5.6 weeks paid leave per year for full-time workers — that's 28 days. Crucially, this includes the eight UK bank holidays. So a contract offering '20 days plus bank holidays' is exactly meeting the legal floor, not exceeding it.

What's standard at UK professional roles. 25 days plus bank holidays = 33 total — common at established UK companies and is meaningfully above statutory. 28 days plus bank holidays = 36 total is generous. 30 days plus bank holidays = 38 total is rare outside senior or unusually generous employers.

Pro-rata rules. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks as a fraction of their working pattern. A 3-day-a-week worker gets 5.6 × 3 = 16.8 days statutory. Mid-year starters and leavers get pro-rated holiday based on the fraction of the leave year they worked.

Carry-over rules. UK employers can require 'use it or lose it' on most of your holiday — typically 4 weeks (statutory) must be taken in the year. The remaining 1.6 weeks can be carried over only if your contract permits.

What's negotiable. Holiday allowance is one of the easier benefits to negotiate at offer stage — UK employers often have flexibility within their banding. A request to move from 25 to 28 days at offer is reasonable; from 25 to 35 usually isn't. Frame it as part of total comp, not a separate ask.

Related questions

How do I negotiate a UK job offer?

Ask for time. Counter-anchor with one specific number based on market data, not a percentage. Negotiate the full package, not just base. Get…

Is London worth the salary premium?

For mid-level roles, often yes. For senior roles, the maths gets tighter. For graduates, almost always — career ladder more than pay drives …

How much tax do I pay on a UK bonus?

Same rates as salary: 20%/40%/45% income tax plus 8%/2% NI. The trap is the £100k-£125k zone where Personal Allowance taper makes the margin…

Browse all 89UK careers Q&A guides

How much do software engineers earn in the UK?How long should a UK CV be?Should I include a photo on my UK CV?How many jobs should I apply to per week?Is it worth applying for a job if I don't meet all the requirements?Should I follow up after applying for a job?How much pay rise can I ask for in the UK in 2026?Should I accept a counter-offer when I resign?Why am I not getting interviews?How long does the UK hiring process take?Is the UK job market bad in 2026?Should I tell my manager I'm interviewing for other jobs?How long is a UK notice period?How do I resign properly?How many interview rounds is normal in the UK?What questions should I ask the interviewer at the end of an interview?How do I follow up after an interview?Is London worth the salary premium?How much tax do I pay on a UK bonus?Should I take RSUs or more cash in my offer?How do I negotiate a UK job offer?Is it too late to change careers at 40?How do I explain an employment gap?Should I message a recruiter on LinkedIn?Should I turn on LinkedIn Open to Work?How do I prepare for a final-round interview?Why am I getting ghosted by recruiters after applying?When should I ask for a pay rise?Should I include references on my UK CV?How far back should my UK CV go?Is a cover letter still necessary in 2026?How much should I save before quitting my job?Is contracting better than permanent employment in the UK?How does UK pension auto-enrolment work?What is IR35 and does it affect me?How much should I have in pension by 30, 40, 50?Should I send a thank-you note after a UK interview?What should I wear to a UK interview?How do I handle the salary question in the first interview?Should I apply on LinkedIn or directly on the company's website?How do I find unadvertised UK jobs (the 'hidden job market')?Can I apply to multiple roles at the same company?How do I transition from teaching into tech in the UK?Is a coding or design bootcamp worth it for career change?How do I change careers without taking a pay cut?Should I use multiple recruitment agencies?Are executive headhunters worth working with?How do I write a personal statement on a UK CV?Should my CV match my LinkedIn profile?How do I answer 'what's your greatest weakness?'How do I write a cover letter when I don't meet all the requirements?Should I be honest in my exit interview?How do I know if I'm being underpaid?How do I write a resignation letter in the UK?Can my employer force me back to the office?Should I take a pay cut for a better role?How do I deal with a toxic boss?Should I leave my job without another offer lined up?Can I take time off for a job interview in the UK?How do I handle being made redundant in the UK?How do I deal with job rejection?How do I research a company before an interview?Should I list my current salary on a job application?How do I handle multiple job offers?How long should I stay at a job?How do I decline a job offer professionally?How do I prepare for an online assessment?How do I recover from a bad interview?Is it OK to quit a job after 3 months?Should I go back to my old employer?Should I take a job with toxic culture if the pay is good?How do I handle being overlooked for promotion?Should I take a job without meeting the team I'd work with?Should I tell a recruiter I'm pregnant during the interview process?How do I respond when asked my current salary?How much notice is too much in the UK?Should I mention mental health in an interview?How do I find out the salary band for a role?How do I handle a counter-offer from my current employer?How do I find fully remote UK jobs in 2026?Should I take a job at a company with bad Glassdoor reviews?How do I handle illegal interview questions in the UK?How do I respond to a low-ball job offer in the UK?What if my UK job offer is rescinded?Should I take a zero-hours contract in the UK?How do I handle being asked about religion in a UK interview?How much time off can I take in the UK?Should I take a permanent role or a contract role in the UK?