From the 1 October 2007, all workers will be entitled to a minimum of 4.8 weeks paid holiday (which equates to 24 days for full time workers). The minimum can include the 8 bank and public holidays.
The following changes will apply to those employers that do not provide 24 days' holiday, as of 1 October 2007:
- All workers will be entitled to the equivalent of 4.8 weeks' annual leave regardless of length of service;
- The holiday entitlement for part-time workers needs to be calculated on a pro-rata basis (4.8 times their usual working week), regardless of whether or not they usually work on bank holidays;
- Partial days' holiday need not be rounded up to the nearest full day;
- The increase should be calculated proportionally depending on when the leave year starts. Due to concerns raised by employers about the difficulties in calculating workers' increased holiday entitlement during the transitional period.
- Some or all of the additional holiday may be carried over to the following leave year by mutual agreement of the employer and worker;
- Payment in lieu of the additional holiday entitlement (the additional 0.8 weeks) will be permitted until 1 April 2009 and after this date, payment in lieu will only be allowed on termination of employment.