Calculator / NHS
NHS staff get more annual leave than the statutory minimum. Agenda for Change Section 13 sets three service tiers (27, 29, or 33 days) plus 8 bank holiday days, pro-rated for part-time hours against the 37.5-hour full-time week.
Updated 18 May 2026
Calculates total leave (annual + bank holidays) for NHS staff on Agenda for Change terms. Pro-rated for part-time hours against the 37.5-hour full-time week.
Includes qualifying prior NHS service from other trusts. Currently: Under 5 years tier (27 days + 8 BH).
Full-time = 37.5 hours. You: 1.000 FTE.
Tier: Under 5 years. Rounded up per the Working Time Regulations 1998 fractional-day rule. Some trusts apply local enhancements; check your contract and the NHS staff handbook.
| NHS service | Annual leave | General public holidays | Total (FT, 37.5h week) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On appointment (0-4 years) | 27 days | 8 days | 35 days |
| After 5 years | 29 days | 8 days | 37 days |
| After 10 years | 33 days | 8 days | 41 days |
For context: the statutory minimum under the Working Time Regulations 1998 is 5.6 weeks (28 days for a 5-day-a-week worker) including bank holidays. NHS Agenda for Change is 7 to 13 days more generous than the statutory floor depending on service tier, even before factoring in the separate bank holiday allowance.
0.500 FTE
Tier 1: 13.5 + 4 = 17.5 days
Tier 2: 14.5 + 4 = 18.5 days
Tier 3: 16.5 + 4 = 20.5 days
0.750 FTE
Tier 1: 20.25 + 6 = 26.25 days
Tier 2: 21.75 + 6 = 27.75 days
Tier 3: 24.75 + 6 = 30.75 days
0.800 FTE
Tier 1: 21.6 + 6.4 = 28 days
Tier 2: 23.2 + 6.4 = 29.6 days
Tier 3: 26.4 + 6.4 = 32.8 days
Per the Working Time Regulations 1998 employers must round fractional entitlement up. The calculator above and the figures here apply that rule.
Moving from one NHS trust to another doesn't reset your service clock. Years of qualifying NHS service add together. So a Band 6 physiotherapist moving from Trust A (4 years) to Trust B in their 5th year does start the new role in the 5-year tier. Bring P45 + payslips showing prior NHS employer codes.
If your rota requires you to work on a public holiday, you get a day off in lieu (TOIL) plus enhanced unsocial-hours pay for the hours actually worked. The 8 public holidays are notional, they don't guarantee specific dates off, they guarantee 8 equivalent days off across the leave year.
Some trusts negotiate locally to enhance annual leave beyond Section 13 (extra days for continuous service over 20 years, for example). These are local terms, they don't appear in the national handbook. Check your trust's Local Annual Leave Policy or equivalent document.
When you leave an NHS post, untaken accrued leave is paid out as final salary. Accrual is calculated daily from 1 April (the standard NHS leave year start) up to your last working day. If you take more leave than you have accrued at the point of leaving, the excess can be deducted from your final pay.
General part-time calculator covering statutory and contractual entitlements.
Calculate the right pay for irregular shifts and unsocial-hours premiums.
Pro-rate annual leave from your start date or up to your leaving date.
NHS-specific carry-over rules and sickness-leave protections.
Updated 2026-04-27