United Kingdom
Cookies and privacy
skip navigation
Browse frequently asked questions and answers on key HR issues. Navigate by topic or key word search. View latest additions or suggest a question to the XpertHR editorial team.
What is the minimum statutory provision for paid holiday? Can unused statutory annual holiday be carried forward to the next holiday year? Can unused statutory annual holiday be replaced by a payment in lieu? Does reg.13A of the Working Time Regulations 1998 affect all employers? Is an employer legally obliged to offer all its workers holiday payment? What are part-time workers' rights to paid holiday? Does an employer have to pay holiday pay to its casual workers? Are mobile workers in road transport covered by the Working Time Regulations 1998? Can workers take holiday whenever they like? Should an employer insist that holiday is taken? How should an employer compute a week's pay in relation to an employee's holiday pay entitlement? What is a workforce agreement on holiday? What are bank holidays? Can bank holidays be included in a worker's statutory leave entitlement? Are employees entitled to time off for bank holidays in addition to the statutory minimum annual leave entitlement of 5.6 weeks? Is an employee who is required to work on bank holidays entitled to extra pay?
Whether or not employees are entitled to pay or time off in lieu of bank holidays worked depends on their overall holiday entitlement and the terms of their contract. If the entitlement is limited to the statutory minimum and employees work on a bank holiday, they must have a day off in lieu so that the total paid leave is 28 days per year (if they work a five-day week). Employees cannot be paid in lieu of statutory minimum holiday entitlement except on the termination of employment. However, where the contractual holiday entitlement in question exceeds the statutory minimum, whether or not employees are entitled to pay or time off in lieu depends on the terms of the employment contract, or any custom and practice in the business.
Want to see more?