How much holiday should I get?

As from April 2009, most full-time workers have a statutory right to 28 days' paid annual leave, including bank and public holidays. There are a few workers who are not automatically given these rights.

But I'm not a full-time employee

There are some exceptions to the statutory holiday rights:

• If you work part-time or for an agency, you have the same entitlement, with leave calculated on a pro-rata basis
• The maximum amount of leave is up to the employer and should be set out in your contract of employment
• Members of the armed forces, police, or civil protection services don't have statutory entitlement to paid leave, they must rely on their contracts to specify their entitlement
• Self-employed people also have no statutory right to paid annual leave

When can I take my holiday?

In practice, the timing of most leave-taking is down to negotiation between you and your employer. However, while you are entitled to take holiday whenever you like, if they give sufficient notice (at least the length of time as the holiday you want to take) employers can refuse the request.

If you have a dispute with your employer, speak to your HR department at work or your trade union if you belong to one, or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

Do I get public (bank) holidays off?

There is no legal requirement for you to get public holidays off, or for your employer to pay you if you do. Lots of jobs - like retail, security and nursing - require people to work every day including public holidays, and if you wanted those off you'd have to book them as leave. Workers based in offices tend to have public holidays off.

The law changed in April 2009 to increase the minimum number of days you're entitled to, taking public holidays into account. This means that you are now entitled to 28 days holiday a year if you work full-time, but your employer may choose whether to include public holidays as part of that entitlement.

Can I carry holiday over to the next year?

If you can't use up all of your statutory holiday in one leave year, you can't carry it over to the next leave year. The law does not let your employer pay you for holiday you have lost because you haven't been able to take those days off.

If you get additional leave, your employer might allow you to carry it over or get paid for any you haven't taken.

Your best bet is to take regular holiday and try to use up your entitlement. Chartered Management Institute estimates that 19 million days of holiday go untaken every year, but it's there to be used so don't forget to take yours.

I've just spent half of my holiday in bed ill

Unfortunately if you get sick during your holiday you aren't automatically entitled to claim back the days. It's probably worth asking your employer though, especially if you have a medical certificate to prove your case.

If you are off sick, you will usually be entitled to build up paid holiday from work. But if you are on long-term sick leave you normally can't claim holidays during that period.

I'm having a baby

During paternity leave and maternity leave, annual leave builds up as if you were still at work. The rules can get complicated, so speak to your employer, union or local CAB for more information.

Updated: 12/08/2010