Does Your Holiday Year Run 1 Apr – 31 Mar? This Blog is for You!

Most holiday years, regardless of when they start and end, include 8 Bank Holidays. However, due to the way Easter falls in 2026 and 2027, holiday years that run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 will include 10 Bank Holidays in England and Wales!

What does this mean for you?

Check Your Contract Wording

Refer to the holiday or annual leave section in your contracts. If the wording says workers are entitled to “x days total to include bank holidays”, then you do not need to do anything. The additional two bank holidays can be counted within the annual provision, even if you offer the statutory minimum of 28 days including bank holidays.

If your contracts say workers are entitled to “x days plus bank holidays”, then you need to keep reading!

If your contracts say “plus” bank holidays, then workers should receive all 10 bank holidays for the 2026/2027 holiday year as their contracts don’t limit the amount of bank holidays they receive.

So how should you manage this?

1. Communicate in advance, making the rules clear to everyone

2. Ensure your holiday tracker or HRIS has the correct leave available to book:

   1. For contracts saying, “including bank holidays”, their usual number of bookable days can be reduced by 2.

   2. For contracts saying, “plus bank holidays”, ensure they have the normal number of bookable days, and receive all 10 bank holidays paid.

Part-Time Workers

Part-time workers are not entitled to the same amount of bank holiday hours as their full-time colleagues, regardless of the holiday year.

For workers who do not work the same hours every day, bank holidays should be pro-rata’d based on the hours the part-time worker works to ensure everyone receives a proportionate amount of leave for the time they work. If your contracts say “plus” bank holidays, then for 2026/2027, 10 bank holidays need to be pro-rata’d for part-time workers instead of the usual 8.

Part-time employees must use their pro-rata’d entitlement to book bank holidays off where they fall on a normal working day and the business is closed. Alternatively, you could arrange for them to work on alternative days they may not usually work.

Simplify Annual Leave Management

Are you still using spreadsheets or paper forms to manage annual leave? WorkSmarter HR Software streamlines daily HR processes including annual leave management by allowing submission and review of holiday requests on an intuitive calendar, with full visibility as to who is off and when. WorkSmarter plans are available from as little as £1 per month per user. Contact us for a 14-day free trial.

Not sure what your workers are entitled to in 2026/2027, or need assistance with holiday calculations? We created a video explaining how to calculate bank holiday allowances for part time staff Watch our YouTube video for more examples, or get in touch to discuss what you might need via 01793 311937 or clientservices@robinsongracehr.com.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Will there really be 10 bank holidays in the 2026 to 2027 holiday year?

Answer: Yes. For organisations where the holiday year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, there will be 10 bank holidays instead of the usual eight. This is due to the timing of Easter, which causes both Good Friday and Easter Monday for both calendar years to fall within the same holiday year, alongside the standard bank holiday dates. Employers with an April to March holiday year should review their annual leave arrangements now to ensure compliance with contractual wording, and avoid disputes later.

2. Do employers have to give extra leave if contracts say annual leave is “plus bank holidays”?

Answer: In most cases, yes. If an employment contract states that employees are entitled to a set number of days plus bank holidays, then all bank holidays that fall within the holiday year must be given in addition to the annual leave entitlement. For the 2026 to 2027 holiday year, this means employees are entitled to all 10 bank holidays. Employers cannot cap this at eight unless the contract wording clearly limits the number of bank holidays.

3. How should part time workers’ bank holiday entitlement be calculated for 2026 to 2027?

Answer: Part time workers are entitled to a pro rata share of bank holidays based on their working pattern. If contracts say “plus bank holidays”, the calculation must be based on 10 bank holidays for the 2026 to 2027 holiday year, not the usual eight. For workers with regular hours, this is calculated by dividing the 10 bank holidays by full time working days and multiplying by the part time working days. For those with irregular hours, bank holidays should be converted into hours and pro rata’d accordingly to ensure fair and lawful treatment.

Check out other Blogs in our series:

How Do I Calculate Bank Holiday and Annual Leave Entitlement for Part-Time Workers?

Guide to Managing Annual Leave

What UK Small Businesses Need to Know to Stay Legally Compliant as They Grow

The content of our blogs is intended for general information and not to replace legal or other professional advice.

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