Holiday entitlement calculator for hospitality staff
Most UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days. Staff who work the same number of days each week get days per week × 5.6. For irregular-hours and part-year workers, in leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, holiday builds up at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period.
On this page
Two quick calculators for the two kinds of staff most pubs, restaurants and cafés employ. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is sent or saved.
Staff who work the same days each week
Enter how many days a week they work.
Irregular-hours and casual staff (12.07% accrual)
Enter the hours they worked this pay period.
Where 5.6 weeks and 12.07% come from
Almost all UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days for people who work more than five days a week. Someone working four days a week gets 4 × 5.6 = 22.4 days.
For irregular-hours and part-year workers, the rules changed for leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024. Holiday builds up at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period. The figure comes from 5.6 weeks of holiday divided by the 46.4 weeks a year that remain once that holiday is taken off.
Making holiday work on the rota
The calculation is the easy part. The hard part in a pub or restaurant is making sure holiday is actually booked, doesn't leave a Saturday short, and isn't forgotten when you write next week's rota.
- Record approved holiday in the same place you build the rota, so nobody gets rota'd on a day they're off.
- Agree blackout dates (Christmas, big matches, bank holidays) early and in writing.
- Encourage staff to spread holiday across the year rather than all in August.
ShiftComplete keeps holidays and availability alongside the rota, so the draft it builds already works around who's away. Read the full guide to holiday pay for hospitality staff.
Frequently asked questions
Do bank holidays count towards the 5.6 weeks?
They can. Employers can include bank holidays in the 5.6 weeks of statutory leave, and many hospitality businesses do because they trade on bank holidays. There is no legal right to have bank holidays off or to be paid extra for working them, unless the contract says so.
What counts as an irregular-hours worker?
Someone whose paid hours are wholly or mostly variable from one pay period to the next, such as many casual and zero-hours bar and kitchen staff. For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, their holiday can be worked out as 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period.
Can I pay rolled-up holiday pay?
For irregular-hours and part-year workers in leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, employers can choose to pay rolled-up holiday pay: an extra 12.07% of pay each pay period, shown separately on the payslip, instead of paying when holiday is taken. It isn't allowed for other workers.
Is this calculator legal advice?
No. It covers the standard statutory rules on GOV.UK. Contracts can give more than the statutory minimum, and some situations (term-time workers, starters and leavers part-way through the year) need more care. GOV.UK has an official calculator, and ACAS can help with specific cases.
Sources
- Holiday entitlement (GOV.UK)
- Calculate holiday entitlement (GOV.UK calculator)
- The Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)
Checked 24 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice.