Annual Leave Calculator 2025 - UK Employment Law Compliant
Your entitlement is based on statutory minimums. For detailed legal information, refer to the Official UK Government Annual Leave Guidance.
What Is an Annual Leave Calculator?
An annual leave calculator is a digital tool that helps employees and employers figure out how much paid time off (PTO) someone has earned.
This holiday entitlement calculator does the math for you, so you don’t have to calculate vacation days by hand.
The paid time off tool works like a smart calculator. You enter basic information like your start date, hours worked per week, and company leave policy.
The calculator then shows you exactly how many vacation days you’ve earned and how many you can use.
Here’s what an annual leave calculator can do:
- Calculate earned leave – Shows vacation days earned based on time worked
- Track remaining balance – Displays how many days you have left to use
- Plan future time off – Helps you see if you have enough days for upcoming trips
- Handle different work schedules – Works for full-time, part-time, and hourly workers
- Account for company policies – Includes rollover rules and accrual caps
- Prevent leave loss – Warns when unused days might expire
- Save time – Eliminates manual calculations and reduces errors
Who benefits from PTO calculators:
- Employees planning vacations or personal time
- HR teams managing multiple employee schedules
- Managers approving time-off requests
- Payroll departments calculating leave payouts
- Small business owners tracking employee benefits
Modern HR software often includes built-in annual leave calculators.
These tools make leave management easier for everyone and help ensure employees use their full vacation entitlement without losing earned days.
How do you calculate annual leave?
Calculating annual leave is simple when you know the basic steps. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Find your annual leave days Most full-time workers get 20-28 days of paid vacation per year. Check your job contract or employee handbook to see your exact number.
Step 2: Calculate monthly leave Divide your yearly leave by 12 months.
- Example: 20 days ÷ 12 months = 1.67 days per month
Step 3: Calculate daily leave rate. For part-time workers, use this formula:
- (Hours worked per week ÷ Full-time hours) × Annual leave days
- Example: (20 hours ÷ 40 hours) × 20 days = 10 days per year
Step 4: Track time worked Count how many months or days you’ve worked since your start date or last leave year reset.
Step 5: Calculate earned leave Multiply your monthly rate by months worked.
- Example: 1.67 days × 6 months = 10 days earned
Quick calculation tips:
- Use payroll periods (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)
- Include public holidays in your planning
- Check if unused leave rolls over to next year
- Consider probation periods that may affect leave
Most companies use automated systems, but knowing how to calculate leave yourself helps you track your vacation time accurately.
Annual Leave Accrual Rules in 2025
Leave Accrual Based on Employment Type
Different employment types earn annual leave at different rates. Here’s how leave accrual works for each type:
| Employment Type | Accrual Method | Example Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (40 hours/week) | Standard rate | 20 days ÷ 12 months = 1.67 days/month |
| Part-time (20 hours/week) | Pro-rated by hours | (20÷40) × 20 days = 10 days/year |
| Hourly workers | Hours-based accrual | 1 hour PTO per 40 hours worked |
| Contractors | No standard accrual | Depends on contract terms |
Full-time employees (FTE) typically earn leave based on months of service.
Part-time PTO accrual uses a simple formula: divide your weekly hours by full-time hours, then multiply by the standard leave allowance.
Many organizations now start new employees at 10 hours per month, increasing to 15 hours month after five years of service.
Accrual Rates by Country/Region (US, UK, Australia)
Statutory leave requirements vary significantly by location. Here are 2025 minimums:
| Country/Region | Minimum Annual Leave | Additional Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 0 days (no federal law) | Some states require paid sick leave |
| United Kingdom | 28 days (5.6 weeks) | Includes 8 bank holidays |
| Australia | 20 days (4 weeks) | Plus 10 public holidays |
| Canada | 10-15 days (varies by province) | Additional personal days |
| European Union | 20 days minimum | Most countries offer 25-30 days |
The UK provides full-time employees with 28 days of paid annual leave per year.
Australia guarantees four weeks of paid leave under the National Employment Standards.
The US remains the only industrialized nation without federally mandated paid vacation time.
Rollover and Carry-Forward Rules
Most companies have specific policies about unused PTO:
- Use-it-or-lose-it policies – Leave expires December 31st
- Limited rollover – Carry forward 5-10 days maximum
- Unlimited rollover – Keep all unused days (becoming more common)
- Cash-out options – Get paid for unused leave at year-end
- Grace periods – Extra 90 days to use previous year’s leave
- Accrual caps – Stop earning leave after reaching maximum balance
Federal employees typically cannot carry forward more than 240 hours of annual leave.
Private companies set their own carry forward leave rules and leave lapse dates based on company policy and state regulations.