Holiday Pay: A Payroll Guide for Employers

Holiday pay isn’t just a benefit, it’s a legal requirement for UK employers. Yet despite its importance, calculating and administering holiday pay can be surprisingly complex, especially with evolving employment patterns such as zero-hours contracts, part-time workers, and irregular hours.

In this blog, we’ll break down everything UK employers and payroll professionals need to know, from statutory entitlements to calculation methods and common payroll challenges.

What Is Holiday Pay?

Holiday pay is the payment an employee receives when they take time off as part of their paid annual leave. It ensures employees are not financially disadvantaged when taking their statutory (or contractual) holiday entitlement.

Statutory Holiday Entitlement

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, most workers in the UK are legally entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year, which is 28 days for someone working 5 days a week

This can include bank holidays, but employers are not legally required to provide paid time off for them; it’s up to the employment contract.

Part-time workers are entitled to pro-rata holiday based on the number of days or hours they work.

Who Is Entitled?

Holiday pay must be provided to:

Full-time and part-time employees
Casual workers
Zero-hours contract workers
Agency workers
Even workers with irregular hours or part-year contracts (e.g. term-time only) have the right to paid holiday, which must be calculated based on average earnings.

How is it calculated?

Holiday pay should reflect normal pay, which includes:

Basic pay
Regular overtime
Commission
Bonuses
Shift premiums

Since 2019, holiday pay for workers with variable pay should be based on an average of the last 52 weeks of earnings where the employee received pay (weeks with no pay are excluded).

Calculation Examples:

Fixed salary: pay is the same for holidays as for working weeks.
Irregular hours: Use a rolling 52-week reference period to calculate average weekly earnings.
Zero-hours contracts: Same method to calculate the average of paid weeks over the past 52 weeks.

Accruing Holiday

Employees begin to accrue holiday from the day of their employment. During the first year of employment, holiday entitlement may be calculated on a pro-rata basis. A common formula for monthly accrual is:

(Full annual entitlement ÷ 12) x months worked

Recording Holiday Pay in Payroll

Employers must:

Track annual leave accrual and usage
Calculate and report pay accurately
Show it clearly on payslips (if different from basic pay)
Apply the correct tax and NI deduction

Key Legal Updates

In April 2020, the reference period for calculating variable pay increased from 12 to 52 weeks. From January 2024, the government clarified rules around rolled-up holiday pay, where additional pay is included within hourly wages. This approach is now permitted for irregular and part-year workers, provided it is shown separately on the payslip.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using outdated reference periods (e.g. 12-week average instead of 52)
Excluding regular overtime or bonuses from holiday pay
Not updating payroll softwares to reflect changing legislation

Best Practices for Employers

Review employment contracts to ensure clarity on leave entitlement and pay
Automate processes with payroll software that supports variable pay and leave tracking
Train HR and payroll staff on current employment regulations
Stay updated on changes in legislation and case law

Next Steps

Holiday pay is more than a legal obligation; it’s a vital part of fair employment practices. Getting it wrong can lead to underpayments, employee disputes, or even tribunal claims. By understanding the rules, keeping accurate records, and using smart payroll systems, employers can ensure compliance and build a more engaged, supported workforce.

Need help calculating or managing holiday pay? Our payroll experts are here to simplify it for you, whether you’re a small business or a large organisation. Get in touch today to learn how we can support your payroll needs.