How to get 48 days holiday this year using just 19 days of annual leave
WORKERS can treat themselves to well-earned extra-long breaks this year, thanks to a clever trick.
You could use the time off to jet on holiday or simply relax and stay at home.
Maximising your holiday allowance is just a matter of being strategic about when you plan your time off.
By doing this, you can get a mega 48 days of holiday with just 19 days of annual leave.
It comes as Britain gets an extra Bank Holiday this year to celebrate the King Charles coronation.
This additional day off falls on May 8 bringing the total number of Bank Holidays in 2023 to nine.
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And the key to making it work in your favour is taking time off around this time and the other Bank Holiday weekends, plus Easter and Christmas.
Andrew Hunter, co-founder of job search engine Adzuna, said: “2023 is the year workers are waving goodbye to hustle culture and reclaiming balance at work.
“A big part of that is being free to take regular leave to recharge and prevent burnout. Bank Holidays are a great time to switch off and recuperate.
“And many workers will look to extend their stints away from the office by tacking on extra days of annual leave, though it’s important to note that longer breaks are normally discretionary and for the best chance of approval, time off requests should be submitted well in advance.
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“Tackle any critical tasks before you switch on your out of office and make sure your usual contacts know you’ll be away.”
Here’s what you need to do…
Easter
- Book four days of holiday to get 10 days off
Easter this year falls on April 9 meaning the Good Friday Bank Holiday is April 7 and the Easter Monday on April 10.
So you will be able to get 10 day stretch off work, including the weekend with just four days of annual leave.
But you'll need to act fast and book off April 11, 12, 13 and 14 to make this happen.
May
- Book four days of holiday and get 10 days off
In May, you can get another 10-day break with only four days of leave by taking advantage of the Bank Holidays.
The first one is Monday, May 1, and the bonus one for the Coronation is May 8.
Book off May 2, 3, 4 and 5, to get the 10-day rest from work, including two weekends.
You'll be off from Saturday, April 29 and back at work on Tuesday, May 9.
May to early June
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off
Again, using the late May Bank Holiday, which falls on Monday, May 29, you can take a nine-day holiday.
You just need to take four days off work from Tuesday, May 30, through to Friday, June 2.
You'l be off from Saturday, May 27 and then back at work on Monday, June 5.
August to early September
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off
There's another Bank Holiday in the summer on Monday, August 28.
At the end of summer, workers should take four days off on August 29, 30, 31 and September 1.
That means they get another nine days off in a row from Saturday, August 6 and then back at work on Monday, September 4.
December
- Book three days of holiday and get 10 days off
Finally, over the festive season there are two more Bank Holidays .
This year, they fall on Monday, December 25 for Christmas Day, and Tuesday, December 26 for Boxing Day.
Booking the following three days off, December 27, 28 and 29, means you can end the year with a 10-day break from work because Monday, January 1, will also be a holiday.
This also means you can relax and make the most of the festive season.
What are my rights to time off?
Of course, you will need to make sure your boss agrees to holiday requests to make the most of the holiday hack.
Most employees who work a five-day week must get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave a year - the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.
However, there is no obligation for employers to grant requests for specific dates.
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Time off often depends on how many other employees plan to take time off at the same time– so getting in early to make a request can make a difference.
And it’s important to get time off approved before you pay for plans that you may not be able to go on.