IF you’re already planning getaways for next year, you’ll want to make the most of your holiday allowance to get as much time off work as possible.
Clever workers can get longer stretches of time off work using less holiday days with a few simple tricks.
Maximising your allowance is just a matter of being strategic about when you plan your time off.
If you do this, next year you can get a bumper 49 days of holiday with just 21 days of annual leave.
Taking time off from work can be used to relax, go on a big holiday or just spend time with family and friends.
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However you want to use your time, the key to getting longer breaks is by using the bank holidays carefully.
Here’s what you need to do…
Easter
- Book four days of holiday to get 10 days off
Easter next year falls on March 31. This will make the Good Friday Bank Holiday March 29 and the Easter Monday on April 1.
If you schedule days off around the bank holidays, you will be able to get a 10-day stretch off work, including the weekend with just four days of annual leave.
You can either book off Monday March 25 through to Thursday March 28 to make this happen.
Or book from Tuesday April 2 through to Friday April 5.
Either way, you’ll get a 10-day run of time off for four days.
Of course, if you’re looking for one long period of time off work.
You could book all eight days off work and get a whopping 16 days off work, including the weekends.
May
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off – twice
In May, you can get another nine-day break with only four days of leave by taking advantage of Bank Holidays.
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The first one is Monday, May 6.
Book off May 7, 8, 9 and 10, to get the 9-day rest from work, including two weekends.
Or you can use the late May Bank Holiday instead, which falls on Monday, May 27 for the nine-day stretch.
Take off Tuesday, May 28, through to Friday, May 31.
This way, you'll be off from Saturday, May 25 and then back at work on Monday, June 3.
August
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off
There's another Bank Holiday in the summer on Monday, August 26.
Workers should take four days off on August 27, 28, 29 and 30.
Using this trick, you’ll get a further nine days off in a row from Saturday, August 25 until Monday, September 2.
December
- Book five days of holiday and get 12 days off
At the end of the year over the festive season there are two more Bank Holidays.
Next year, they will fall on Wednesday, December 25 for Christmas Day, and Thursday, December 26 for Boxing Day.
Booking off time around those days gives you a couple of options to maximise holiday.
You can book - December 23, 24 and 27, to get a nine-break from work from December 21 to Monday, December 30.
Or book off December 27, 30 and 31, as well as January 2 and 3. January 1 is also a Bank Holiday so you don’t need to book it off.
This way you’ll have 12 days off from work, including weekend, meaning you can relax and make the most of the festive season.
What are my rights to time off?
You will need to, of course, make sure your boss agrees to holiday requests to make the most of this holiday hack.
Most employees who work a five-day week must get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave a year - the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.
But there is no obligation for employers to grant requests for specific dates.
Getting the dates off often depends on how many other employees plan to take time off at the same time– so getting in early to make a request can make a difference.
And make sure you get time off approved before you pay for plans, that you may not be able to do.
