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Free tools › Annual leave by country

Annual leave:
United Kingdom vs United States

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

How does annual leave compare between UK and US?

United Kingdom: 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days, and employers can count bank holidays towards it. United States: No statutory paid vacation and no statutory paid public holidays. Typical practice is about 11 days after a year, by employer choice. At five years' service that means 5.6 weeks in the UK and None required (typical practice: 15 days) in the US.

United Kingdom vs United States, side by side

United KingdomUnited States
The rule5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days, and employers can count bank holidays towards it.No statutory paid vacation and no statutory paid public holidays. Typical practice is about 11 days after a year, by employer choice.
At 1 year5.6 weeksNone required (typical practice: 11 days)
At 5 years5.6 weeksNone required (typical practice: 15 days)
At 10 years5.6 weeksNone required (typical practice: 18 days)
Key numbersEntitlement: 5.6 weeks (28-day cap); Bank holidays: 8 in England and Wales, countable within the 5.6 weeks; Part-time: Pro rataStatutory paid vacation: None; Statutory paid public holidays: None (11 federal holidays bind federal employers); Typical practice (BLS): 11 days after 1 year, 15 after 5, 18 after 10

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.

United States

The US mandates zero paid vacation days and zero paid public holidays for private-sector employees; the 11 federal holidays bind federal employers only. What employees actually get is set by the market: BLS data has private-industry workers with paid vacation averaging 11 days after one year, 15 after five and 18 after ten.

  • Statutory paid vacationNone
  • Statutory paid public holidaysNone (11 federal holidays bind federal employers)
  • Typical practice (BLS)11 days after 1 year, 15 after 5, 18 after 10
Length of serviceEntitlement
After 1 year (typical, not law)11 days
After 5 years15 days
After 10 years18 days
After 20 years20 days
  • Several states treat accrued vacation as wages that must be paid out at termination, California most prominently.

Source: US Department of Labor / BLS (FLSA position; BLS March 2025 benefits data). Checked July 2026.

Sources

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

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
United KingdomGOV.UKWorking Time Regulations 1998Checked July 2026
United StatesUS Department of Labor / BLSFLSA position; BLS March 2025 benefits dataChecked July 2026

Next step

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True cost of an employee (UK)

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True cost of an employee (US)

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Common questions

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.

What is the rule on annual leave in the US?

No statutory paid vacation and no statutory paid public holidays. Typical practice is about 11 days after a year, by employer choice. The US mandates zero paid vacation days and zero paid public holidays for private-sector employees; the 11 federal holidays bind federal employers only.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the the UK and the US 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 GOV.UK, the US Department of Labor or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.