Can my employer refuse my holiday request?
They can refuse a particular date — but they can't stop you taking your statutory leave altogether. You're entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, capped at 28 days for a five-day week (the employer may count bank holidays within this). The timing is negotiable: an employer can refuse or cancel specific dates but must give counter-notice at least as long as the leave requested, plus one day — so 11 days' notice to refuse a 10-day request. To book leave you normally give notice of at least twice the length plus one day, unless your contract says otherwise. An employer can also require you to take leave on set dates (a shutdown) with notice of at least twice the length of the leave. What they can't do is refuse to let you take your 5.6 weeks at all. In short: yes to refusing a date, no to denying your leave.
📋 The rules
- Entitlement: 5.6 weeks, max 28 days a year
- Employer can refuse a specific date, not all leave
- To refuse: counter-notice ≥ the leave requested + 1 day
- To book: give notice of twice the length + 1 day
- Employer can require leave on set dates with notice
🔓 Exceptions
- Irregular-hours/part-year workers accrue at 12.07% and can get rolled-up pay
- A genuinely sick worker can't be forced to take annual leave
- Holiday keeps accruing during maternity/paternity/adoption leave
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no fixed fine — a worker who's wrongly denied leave claims at an employment tribunal, normally within three months less one day (unlawful-deduction claims can look back up to two years). Holiday pay must reflect "normal" pay, including regular overtime and commission for the four-week core, calculated over a 52-week reference period. The headline entitlement is 5.6 weeks / 28 days, and rolled-up holiday pay (only for irregular-hours and part-year workers) is at least 12.07%. Beware a myth: "my employer can never refuse my holiday" is false — they can refuse a specific date or cancel booked leave with the correct counter-notice; what they can't do is refuse to let you take your 5.6 weeks. Only the timing is negotiable. To book well: request in good time, in writing, and point to your statutory entitlement if leave is being blocked.
📎 Official sources
- GOV.UK — holiday entitlement: booking time off →
- Acas — carrying over holiday →
- Acas — rolled-up holiday pay →
❓ Frequently asked
Can my employer refuse my holiday request?
Yes, an employer can refuse or cancel a specific holiday date, for example during a busy period, as long as they give you proper counter-notice. What they can't do is refuse to let you take your statutory 5.6 weeks of leave at all. Only the timing of your holiday is negotiable, not whether you get it.
How much paid holiday am I entitled to?
Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, which is capped at 28 days for someone working five or more days a week. Employers can choose to include bank holidays within this entitlement. Part-time workers get the same 5.6 weeks, calculated proportionately to the days they work.
How much notice do I have to give to book leave?
Unless your contract says otherwise, the default rule is that you give notice of at least twice the length of the leave you want, plus one day. So to take one day off you'd give three days' notice, and for a week off you'd give just over two weeks' notice. Many employers set their own booking procedures.
Can my employer make me take holiday on certain dates?
Yes. An employer can require you to take leave on particular days, such as a Christmas shutdown, provided they give you notice of at least twice the length of the leave. So for a five-day shutdown, they'd need to give at least ten days' notice. They can also cancel leave you've booked with the correct notice.
What if I'm refused leave unfairly?
If your employer refuses to let you take your statutory holiday at all, or doesn't pay it correctly, you can raise a grievance and, if needed, claim at an employment tribunal, usually within three months less one day. Holiday pay should reflect your normal earnings, including regular overtime and commission for the core four weeks.
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