Annual Leave Accrual Calculator
Calculate pro-rata annual leave entitlement. Perfect for mid-year starters and part-time employees with UK statutory entitlement.
100% for full-time, e.g. 60% for 3 days/week
UK statutory minimum is 28 days (5.6 weeks) including bank holidays
Defaults to today if left blank
Enter details to calculate leave accrual
Understanding Annual Leave Accrual
UK Statutory Annual Leave Entitlement
All workers in the UK are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year. For a full-time employee working 5 days a week, this equates to 28 days. Employers can include the 8 UK bank holidays within this entitlement, meaning the minimum contractual holiday could be 20 days plus 8 bank holidays, or 28 days inclusive. Many employers offer more than the statutory minimum as part of their benefits package.
How Pro-Rata Leave Accrual Works
When an employee starts partway through the leave year, their entitlement for that year is calculated on a pro-rata basis. The most common method is the 1/12th method: the annual entitlement is divided by 12, and the employee accrues one twelfth for each complete month of service. Some employers allow employees to take their full entitlement from day one, while others require employees to accrue leave before taking it.
Part-Time Employee Entitlement
Part-time employees are entitled to the same amount of annual leave as full-time employees on a pro-rata basis. For example, an employee working 3 days per week (60% FTE) would be entitled to 28 x 0.6 = 16.8 days per year. There is no need to round up or down; employers can use half days or even decimal fractions of days for leave management.
Leave Year and Carry Over
The leave year can start on any date — it does not have to align with the calendar year or tax year. Common start dates include 1 January, 1 April, or the employee's start date anniversary. Under UK law, employees must take the statutory 4 weeks (20 days for full-time) within the leave year, but the additional 1.6 weeks (8 days) can be carried over if there is a written agreement. Many employers allow limited carry-over to prevent losing accrued leave.
Holiday Pay on Termination
When an employee leaves, they are entitled to be paid for any accrued but untaken annual leave. Conversely, if they have taken more leave than they have accrued at the point of leaving, the employer can deduct the overpayment from their final pay — but only if there is a written agreement in the contract allowing this. The accrual calculation at termination uses the same pro-rata method.
Leave Accrual FAQ
Does annual leave accrue during sick leave or maternity leave?
Yes. Annual leave continues to accrue during all types of statutory leave, including sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, and shared parental leave. Employees can carry over any accrued but untaken leave to the following year if they were unable to take it due to being on leave.
Can my employer tell me when to take my annual leave?
Yes, employers can direct when employees take their annual leave, as long as they give notice of at least twice the length of the leave period. For example, to require an employee to take 1 week off, the employer must give at least 2 weeks' notice. This is common during Christmas shutdowns or quiet business periods.
How do bank holidays affect my entitlement?
There is no automatic right to time off on bank holidays in the UK — it depends on your contract. Many employers include the 8 bank holidays within the 28-day statutory minimum, meaning contractual holiday is 20 days plus 8 bank holidays. Others give bank holidays on top of the 28 days. Check your employment contract for your specific arrangement.
Track Annual Leave Automatically
Grove automatically calculates accrued leave, handles pro-rata entitlements, and tracks balances in real time. No more spreadsheets.
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