NHS Annual Leave Calculator 2026/27 | AfC Entitlement Pro-Rata Hours

NHS annual leave entitlement in 2026 is determined by your Agenda for Change band, your length of service, and whether you work full or part-time hours. Most NHS staff are entitled to between 27 and 33 days per year, plus 8 general public holidays — all calculated on a pro-rata basis for part-time contracts. This guide covers exactly how your entitlement is calculated, how bank holidays are counted, carry-over rules, and how to use the calculator to get your precise figure based on your contract.

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NHS Annual Leave & Bank Holiday Calculator

Fully calibrated for Agenda for Change 2026/27 entitlements

Completed NHS Service (Years)

Contracted Weekly Working Hours

Standard full-time baseline is 37.5 hours.

Leave Calculation Unit

Standard Work Shift Length (Hours)

Used to visualize your exact allowance balance in equivalent shifts.

Bank Holiday Cycle Options

Total Bank Holidays in Leave Year

FTE Pro-Rata Proportion Ratio

Core Annual Leave Allowance	202.5 Hours
Statutory Bank Holiday Allocation	60.0 Hours
Combined Total Allocation Balance	262.5 Hours
Projected Total Shift Equivalents	35.0 Shifts

Agenda for Change Section 13 Rules:
* Under 5 Years Service: 27 days base core leave + 8 bank holidays.
* 5 to 10 Years Service: 29 days base core leave + 8 bank holidays.
* 10+ Years Service: 33 days base core leave + 8 bank holidays.

Shifts and Part-Time Note: For individuals on rotating rosters, irregular hours, or part-time tracks, calculations must live completely inside the hourly domain. This guarantees that whether a bank holiday lands on your rostered duty loop or off-duty block, your pro-rata entitlement tracking remains perfectly equal and uncompromised compared to full-time staff.

nhs annual leave calculator 2026/27 exact entitlement by years of service including bank holidays and pro-rata rules

This guide covers every rule — full-time, part-time, bank staff, and Scotland’s new 36-hour week from April 2026. You should also read guide on NHS Annual Leave, TOIL and Carry-Over: Financial Guide.

5 Key Facts You Need to Know Right Now

Full-time staff in England start on 27 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays from day one.
Entitlement rises to 29 days after 5 years of NHS service and 33 days after 10 years.
Part-time staff receive the same entitlement pro-rated to their contracted hours.
Scotland reduces to a 36-hour full-time week from 1 April 2026 — this changes every pro-rata calculation for Scottish staff.
NHS bank staff with no fixed contract accrue leave at 12.07% of every hour worked.

How Much Annual Leave Do NHS Staff Get in 2026/27?

All NHS staff on an Agenda for Change (AfC) contract receive paid annual leave based on total NHS service. This applies to nurses, allied health professionals, admin staff, and most other roles. Doctors and dentists have separate arrangements.

nhs annual leave entitlement by years of service 2026/27 27 32 33 days plus bank holidays agenda for change

The leave year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Entitlement is calculated in hours to ensure fairness across all shift patterns.

Full Entitlement Table (England / Northern Ireland)

NHS Service Length	Annual Leave	Hours (37.5 h/wk)	Bank Holidays	Total Days Off
0–4 years	27 days	202.5 hrs	8 days / 60 hrs	35 days
5–9 years	29 days	217.5 hrs	8 days / 60 hrs	37 days
10+ years	33 days	247.5 hrs	8 days / 60 hrs	41 days

2026/27 Note: Easter 2027 falls early, placing Good Friday (26 March 2027) and Easter Monday (29 March 2027) inside this leave year. England and Wales staff receive 10 bank holidays this year instead of the usual 8.

England vs Wales vs Scotland vs Northern Ireland

Nation	Full-Time Week	Leave on Appointment	Bank Holidays	Key Difference
England	37.5 h	27 days	8 (10 in 2026/27)	Standard AfC baseline
Wales	37.5 h	28 days	8 (10 in 2026/27)	1 extra day vs England
Scotland	36 h from Apr 2026	27 days	9 (incl. 2 Jan)	36-hour week changes pro-rata
Northern Ireland	37.5 h	27 days	10	Most bank holidays in the UK

Scotland 36-Hour Week Change from April 2026

From 1 April 2026, the NHS Scotland full-time week drops from 37 hours to 36 hours, with a standard working day of 7.2 hours.

If you calculate pro-rata leave for Scottish part-time staff, you must use 36 as the baseline — not 37.5. Using the wrong number gives a lower, incorrect result.

Scotland Pro-Rata Formula (from April 2026):

Your contracted hours ÷ 36 × full-time entitlement in hours = your annual leave hours

How to Use the NHS Annual Leave Calculator

Enter the details below into the calculator at the top of this page to get your result instantly.

Select your nation — England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland sets the correct baseline hours and bank holiday count.
Enter your contracted weekly hours — for example, 37.5 (England full-time), 36 (Scotland full-time), 30 (part-time), or 22.5 (3 days a week).
Enter your total NHS service in years — include all previous NHS employment, even with a break between jobs.
Enter your start date if you joined after 1 April 2026 — the calculator will pro-rate your entitlement for the partial leave year.
Read your result — you will see your leave in hours and days, your bank holiday hours, and your total paid time off.

Important: This calculator covers AfC contracts only. Always confirm your final figure with your ESR system or HR team.

Part-Time & Pro-Rata Entitlement Explained

Every part-time AfC worker receives exactly the same proportion of leave as a full-time colleague. There is no penalty for working reduced hours.

nhs annual leave part-time pro-rata calculation and bank holidays entitlement 2026/27 with examples

Pro-Rata Formula (England / Wales / NI):

Your contracted hours ÷ 37.5 × full-time entitlement in hours = your annual leave hours

Simple Formula + Real Examples

Contracted Hours / Week	NHS Service	Annual Leave (Hours)	Bank Holidays (Hours)	Total Hours
22.5 h (3 days)	0–4 yrs	121.5 hrs	36 hrs	157.5 hrs
30 h (4 days)	5–9 yrs	174 hrs	48 hrs	222 hrs
37.5 h (full-time)	10+ yrs	247.5 hrs	60 hrs	307.5 hrs
28.8 h (Scotland post-Apr 26)	10+ yrs	190 hrs	46.8 hrs	236.8 hrs

Term-time only workers use a different formula: (weeks worked ÷ 52) × full entitlement. Leave accrues only during the weeks you are contracted to work.

Bank Holidays — How Many Do You Get?

NHS bank holidays are separate from your core annual leave. The number varies by nation and shifts year to year depending on where Easter falls.

Full Bank Holiday List by Nation (2026/27)

Bank Holiday	Date	England & Wales	Scotland	NI
New Year’s Day	1 Jan 2026	✅	✅	✅
2nd January	2 Jan 2026	—	✅	—
St Patrick’s Day	17 Mar 2026	—	—	✅
Good Friday	3 Apr 2026	✅	✅	✅
Easter Monday	6 Apr 2026	✅	—	✅
Early May Bank Holiday	4 May 2026	✅	✅	✅
Spring Bank Holiday	25 May 2026	✅	✅	✅
Battle of the Boyne	13 Jul 2026 (sub)	—	—	✅
Summer Bank Holiday	31 Aug 2026	✅	—	✅
Summer Bank Holiday (Scot)	3 Aug 2026	—	✅	—
Christmas Day	25 Dec 2026	✅	✅	✅
Boxing Day (substitute)	28 Dec 2026	✅	✅	✅
Good Friday 2027	26 Mar 2027	✅	✅	✅
Easter Monday 2027	29 Mar 2027	✅	—	✅

Boxing Day 2026 Note: Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December. The official substitute bank holiday is Monday 28 December 2026.

How Bank Holidays Are Added to Your Leave

Bank holiday entitlement is calculated in hours using this formula:

(Contracted hours ÷ 37.5) × (number of bank holidays × 7.5)

A nurse working 22.5 hours a week (3 days) receives exactly 60% of the bank holiday entitlement of a full-time colleague. If you are required to work on a bank holiday, you receive the equivalent time off in lieu.

Special Cases — Mid-Year Changes, Bank Staff & More

Mid-Year Hours Change

If your contracted hours change during the leave year, split your entitlement into two periods and add them together.

Formula:

Period 1: (months on old hours ÷ 12) × pro-rata entitlement for old hours Period 2: (months on new hours ÷ 12) × pro-rata entitlement for new hours Total = Period 1 + Period 2

Example: You work 37.5 h/week for 6 months then reduce to 22.5 h/week for 6 months. With 3 years’ service (27 days): Period 1 = 101.25 hrs + Period 2 = 60.75 hrs = 162 hrs total.

Bank Staff 12.07% Accrual Rule

NHS bank workers accrue annual leave at 12.07% of every hour worked. This rate comes from the Working Time Regulations: 5.6 weeks of leave ÷ 46.4 working weeks = 12.07%.

Hours worked × 0.1207 = annual leave hours accrued

Example: 150 hours worked × 0.1207 = 18.1 hours of leave accrued.

Bank and locum service does not count toward your reckonable service band for leave purposes.

Term-Time Only Workers

TTO staff accrue leave based on weeks contracted to work: (weeks worked ÷ 52) × full entitlement. This gives a fair, proportional result that accounts for the contracted pattern.

Carry-Over Rules

Standard carry-over: up to 1 week (5 days), agreed with your line manager.
Long-term sickness: statutory minimum leave (20 days / pro-rata) must be carried over if you were unable to take it due to illness.
Maternity leave: all unused leave accrued during maternity leave can be carried over — it cannot be taken at the same time.
Some trusts allow up to 2 weeks carry-over with Head of Department approval. Always check your local trust policy.

Service Milestone Tracker — When Do You Get More Leave?

Your leave entitlement increases at two milestones. The increase applies from the first day of the month after your anniversary — not on the anniversary date itself.

Milestone	Leave Entitlement	Takes Effect
0–4 years	27 days + 8 BH	From appointment
5 years	29 days + 8 BH	1st of the month after 5-year anniversary
10 years	33 days + 8 BH	1st of the month after 10-year anniversary

Example: You started your first NHS job on 15 June 2020. Your 5-year anniversary is 15 June 2025. Your entitlement increases from 1 July 2025.

All previous NHS service counts toward your band — even with a break between employers. Provide payslips or a reference letter to your HR team as proof.

Common Mistakes That Reduce Your Leave

Not declaring previous NHS service — HR will default you to the lowest band without proof of prior employment.
Using 37.5 h as the Scottish baseline after April 2026 — the correct figure is 36 hours. Using 37.5 gives a lower, incorrect result.
Forgetting bank holidays when comparing totals — bank holidays are separate from annual leave under AfC. Always count both.
Bank staff not using the 12.07% rule — irregular-hours workers must use the accrual method, not a fixed day figure.
Assuming carry-over is automatic — most trusts allow only 1 week, agreed in advance with your line manager.
Not recalculating after a mid-year hours change — your entitlement must be split across both periods.
Selling leave below 20 days — you must retain at least 20 days of actual annual leave taken in the year (pro-rata for part-time).

Conclusion

Your NHS annual leave entitlement for 2026/27 is straightforward once you know the rules. Full-time staff in England start on 27 days, Wales gives 28, and both nations receive 10 bank holidays this year due to early Easter. Scotland’s new 36-hour week shifts the pro-rata baseline for part-time staff. Northern Ireland enjoys the highest bank holiday count in the UK.

The golden rules: always declare your full NHS service, use hours not just days for accuracy, and apply the 12.07% accrual method if you are on a bank contract.

Try the free NHS annual leave calculator at the top of this page to get your exact figure in under 60 seconds. Bookmark this page — the entitlement tables update each April when the new leave year begins.

Disclaimer: This guide is based on the NHS Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions Handbook. Always verify your exact entitlement with your ESR record and HR department. This does not cover doctors, dentists, or very senior managers. Last updated: April 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Divide your contracted hours by 37.5 (or 36 in Scotland from April 2026), then multiply by the full-time entitlement in hours. For example, 30 h ÷ 37.5 × 217.5 hrs = 174 hours of annual leave per year.

Yes. All aggregated NHS service counts, including breaks between employers. If you worked 4 years in one trust, left, and rejoined, you carry 4 years into your new role. Provide payslips or an HR reference letter as evidence.

Bank workers accrue leave at 12.07% of every hour worked — there is no fixed annual entitlement. Work 200 hours and you accrue roughly 24.1 hours of leave. Some trusts pay this as rolled-up holiday pay in the hourly rate.

From 1 April 2026, the NHS Scotland standard full-time week falls from 37 to 36 hours. Part-time pro-rata calculations for Scottish staff must use 36 as the baseline. This does not change the number of leave days, but does affect hours-based entitlements.

England and Wales NHS staff receive 10 bank holidays in 2026/27 instead of the usual 8. Easter 2027 falls early, placing Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) within the April 2026 to March 2027 leave year.

Most trusts allow up to 1 week (5 days) carry-over by agreement with your manager. Long-term sickness and maternity leave are exceptions — statutory leave must be carried over. You cannot take carry-over that reduces your taken leave below 20 days.

No. Under Agenda for Change, leave entitlement is the same for every band — it depends only on length of NHS service and contracted hours. A Band 2 and a Band 8 worker with the same service and hours receive identical leave.

Your entitlement increases from the first day of the month after your 5th or 10th NHS anniversary. If your anniversary falls on 20 September, the increase applies from 1 October. Check your ESR record or contact HR to confirm.

Testimonials

Finally worked out exactly how many days I’d accrued — no more guessing.
I never trusted what my rota coordinator told me because I couldn’t verify it myself. Plugged in my start date and hours and had my exact entitlement in seconds. Used it to successfully challenge a miscalculation on my leave balance.
Diane Forsythe
Band 5 Staff Nurse – Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
Sorted out my pro-rata entitlement after dropping to four days a week.

When I went part-time nobody gave me a straight answer on how my leave would change. This calculator did it instantly — days, hours, bank holidays all adjusted for my new contracted hours. Exactly what I needed.
Marcus Ellington
Band 7 Occupational Therapist – Bristol Royal Infirmary
Genuinely simple — no jargon, just my actual leave entitlement
I am not great with numbers but this was dead easy. Put my contracted hours and length of service in and it told me exactly how many days and hours I get. No confusing formulas or NHS handbook to wade through.
Tom Ashworth
Band 3 Porter – Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
Used it to calculate leave for three new starters — saved me an hour.
As a manager I use this regularly when onboarding staff at different service lengths. It handles the threshold changes between year one, two and five automatically. Far quicker than opening the AfC handbook every time.
Gemma Blackwell
Band 8b Head of Nursing – King’s College Hospital, London

Daniel Carter

Daniel Carter is a senior NHS Payroll Accountant with over 10 years of experience in Agenda for Change pay structures, tax, and pensions. He created the NHS Pay Calculators platform to help NHS staff easily understand their take-home pay, sick pay, maternity pay, and pension entitlements through simple, accurate online tools.