NHS Annual Leave Calculator 2026
Work out your NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) annual leave from your length of NHS service and contracted hours - 27, 29 or 33 days a year, plus general public (bank) holidays on top, pro-rated in hours if you work part time. Based on Section 13 of the NHS terms and conditions handbook.
How NHS annual leave works under Agenda for Change
Section 13 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook sets a single national annual leave entitlement for staff on Agenda for Change contracts. It rises with length of continuous NHS service:
- On appointment (0-4 years): 27 days of annual leave.
- After 5 years: 29 days.
- After 10 years: 33 days.
These are annual leave days only. General public (bank) holidays are a separate entitlement on top of them - 8 days in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland, reflecting the different public holidays set in each nation. If you are required to work a general public holiday, you are normally given equivalent time off in lieu.
Part-time and pro-rata entitlement
The full-time NHS working week is 37.5 hours (Section 2.6 of the handbook). Part-time staff receive the same entitlement pro-rated to their contracted hours, and it is normally expressed in hours rather than days so it can be booked in shifts of different lengths. A common way to convert is to multiply the full-time day figure by your weekly hours divided by 5. For example, someone on 30 hours a week with 5-9 years' service (the 29-day tier) has 29 × (30 ÷ 5) = 174 hours of annual leave, plus 8 × (30 ÷ 5) = 48 hours of bank holiday entitlement.
Continuous previous NHS service counts towards the 5-year and 10-year milestones, not just time with your current trust or board. This calculator applies the national AfC terms only; medical and dental staff and other non-AfC contracts have different leave rules.
Related: NHS Pension calculator and NHS pay by band on our nurse salary page.
Frequently asked questions
- How much annual leave do NHS staff get?
- Under Agenda for Change (Section 13 of the NHS terms and conditions), full-time staff get 27 days on appointment, 29 days after 5 years of continuous NHS service, and 33 days after 10 years - plus general public (bank) holidays on top. Part-time staff get a pro-rata amount, usually worked out in hours.
- Are bank holidays included in the NHS annual leave figure?
- No - the 27, 29 or 33 days are annual leave only. General public holidays are a separate entitlement on top: 8 days in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland, and 10 in Northern Ireland. If you work a bank holiday you are normally given the time back.
- How is NHS annual leave worked out for part-time staff?
- Part-time entitlement is pro-rated to your contracted hours and expressed in hours rather than days. A common method is to multiply the full-time day entitlement by your weekly hours divided by 5 - so 30 hours a week on the 29-day tier gives 29 x 6 = 174 hours of annual leave, plus pro-rated bank holidays.
- What counts towards the 5 and 10 year service milestones?
- Continuous previous NHS service counts towards the length-of-service thresholds, not just time with your current employer. This calculator uses national AfC terms; your local employer policy or a non-AfC contract (such as medical and dental terms) may differ, so check your contract.
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