With all the bank holidays in the UK now all done until Christmas, when should you book off your remaining days of annual leave?
The end of the year is fast approaching and many of us will already be planning what we’re doing this Christmas.
But with all the bank holidays in the UK now all done until Christmas, when should you book off your remaining days of annual leave?
You can maximise your time off by booking your holiday around the bank holidays and making the most of the weekends either side. Keep in mind these following dates only work if you’re employed Monday to Friday and you get bank holidays off.
Check your contract carefully, as not everyday has bank holidays off as part of their employment. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both bank holidays and this year, Christmas Day falls on a Thursday and Boxing Day is on a Friday.
If you get weekends off, and you book off Monday, December 22, Tuesday, December 23, and Wednesday, December 24, this means you’ll get nine days off in a row.
This takes account the two weekends either side. If you want an even longer break of 122 consecutive days, you could look to book off Monday, December 29, Tuesday, December 30 and Wednesday, December 31 as well.
This would give you 12 days off in a row. Again, if you get bank holidays off as standard, then you would also be off on Thursday, January 1, which would you give you 13 consecutive days off.
The majority of full-time employees are legally entitled to at least 28 days’ paid annual leave each year. This is the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday and can include bank holidays.
England and Wales
- Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
- Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
- Monday, April 6 – Easter Monday
- Monday, May 4 – Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 25 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 31 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
Scotland
- Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
- Friday, January 2 – 2nd January
- Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
- Monday, May 4 – Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 25 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 3 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Monday, November 30 – St Andrew’s Day
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
Northern Ireland
- Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
- Tuesday, March 17 – St Patrick’s Day
- Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
- Monday, April 6 – Easter Monday
- Monday, May 4 – Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 25 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, July 13 – Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) (substitute day)
- Monday, August 31 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)