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Free tools › Annual leave by country

Annual leave: New Zealand vs United Kingdom

Statutory annual leave in New Zealand and the UK, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does annual leave compare between New Zealand and UK?

New Zealand: 4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki. United Kingdom: 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days, and employers can count bank holidays towards it. At five years' service that means 4 weeks in New Zealand and 5.6 weeks in the UK.

New Zealand vs United Kingdom, side by side

New ZealandUnited Kingdom
The rule4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki.5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days, and employers can count bank holidays towards it.
At 1 year4 weeks5.6 weeks
At 5 years4 weeks5.6 weeks
At 10 years4 weeks5.6 weeks
Key numbersEntitlement: 4 weeks after 12 months; Public holidays: Up to 12 (11 national + 1 regional); Pay-as-you-go: 8% of gross, narrow eligibilityEntitlement: 5.6 weeks (28-day cap); Bank holidays: 8 in England and Wales, countable within the 5.6 weeks; Part-time: Pro rata

New Zealand

Every employee reaches 4 weeks of paid annual holidays at each 12-month anniversary. Public holidays top out at 12: 11 national days including Matariki, plus one regional anniversary day. Pay-as-you-go at 8% of gross is allowed only for genuine fixed-term roles under 12 months or truly irregular work, and calling someone casual is not enough on its own.

  • Entitlement4 weeks after 12 months
  • Public holidaysUp to 12 (11 national + 1 regional)
  • Pay-as-you-go8% of gross, narrow eligibility
  • The Holidays Act replacement (the Employment Leave Bill) is at select committee; once passed it takes effect only 24 months after assent, so current rules hold until roughly 2028-29.

Source: Employment New Zealand (Holidays Act 2003). Checked July 2026.

United Kingdom

Almost all UK workers get 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, which is 28 days on a five-day week and stays 28 for six-day workers because of the cap. There is no statutory right to bank holidays off; the 8 in England and Wales can be counted inside the 5.6 weeks. Since April 2026 employers must keep holiday pay records for six years.

  • Entitlement5.6 weeks (28-day cap)
  • Bank holidays8 in England and Wales, countable within the 5.6 weeks
  • Part-timePro rata
  • Scotland has 9 bank holidays and Northern Ireland 10, so the countable days differ by nation.

Source: GOV.UK (Working Time Regulations 1998). Checked July 2026.

Hiring in both markets?

Put a full number on each side with the true-cost calculators: True cost of an employee (New Zealand) and True cost of an employee (UK). The complete six-market picture is on the Annual leave by country page.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the government source for its market.

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
New ZealandEmployment New ZealandHolidays Act 2003Checked July 2026
United KingdomGOV.UKWorking Time Regulations 1998Checked July 2026
Where Compono fits

Comparing entitlements is the easy half of hiring across markets. The hard half is whether the person you hire in Sydney, Singapore or Seattle will actually work out, and that risk looks the same in every jurisdiction. Compono matches candidates on how they work, not just what the CV claims, so the hires behind these numbers hold up wherever you make them.

See how it works

Common questions

What is the rule on annual leave in New Zealand?

4 weeks' paid annual holidays after 12 months, plus up to 12 public holidays including Matariki. Every employee reaches 4 weeks of paid annual holidays at each 12-month anniversary.

What is the rule on annual leave in the UK?

5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days, and employers can count bank holidays towards it. Almost all UK workers get 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, which is 28 days on a five-day week and stays 28 for six-day workers because of the cap.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the New Zealand and the UK government pages every figure on this page was verified against in July 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with Employment New Zealand, GOV.UK or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.