Archive · Originally published 2018-08-30
Editorially revised on 8 November 2026. This page records an earlier topic; follow the current guide below for present-day advice.
The issue
Statutory minimum annual leave corresponds to four weeks: normally twenty days for a five-day working week. Contractual and collective arrangements may provide more.
How to read this today
Carry-over and expiry require attention to employer information duties, the opportunity to take leave, illness and the distinction between statutory and additional leave. Do not assume that all unused leave expires automatically at year-end.
Practical context
Keep accurate balances and individual communications. On termination, distinguish leave that can still be taken from a payment claim for untaken entitlement. A general release from work does not automatically resolve the leave account.