How workers could take up to 93 DAYS of holiday in 2021 by rolling over untaken annual leave thanks to the government's Covid ruling

Bank Holidays in 2021 

New Year’s Day: January 1

Good Friday:  April 2

 Easter Monday: April 5

Early May bank holiday: May 3 

Spring bank holiday: May 31

Monday Summer bank holiday: August 30

 Christmas Day: December 27, (substitute day)

Boxing Day: December 28, (substitute day)

Workers could bag up to three months of holiday in 2021 due to the government's relaxed annual leave roll over laws for 2020.

Employees who have left any of their statutory annual leave entitlement untaken whilst home-bound by covid-19 restrictions this year are now entitled to carry it over into the next two leave years.

This means that those who have banked up holiday in 2020 could combine their rolled over days with their 2021 annual leave, bank holidays and the surrounding weekends to book up to an incredible 93 days off work next year. 

The loophole is due to the change in annual leave entitlement, which was introduced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma at the start of the pandemic in March, allowing anyone to carry over up to four weeks into the next two years. 

The average UK worker has left 14 days of holiday untaken in 2020, research by RotaCloud found. 

Employees rolling over 14 days of leave from 2020 could book off the entirety of April and would still have 15 days leftover to use throughout the rest of 2021 by manipulating leave to bookend around bank holidays and weekends.

This can be done by booking a stretch of 32 days off from April 2 to May 3, which will cost you 19 days of holiday leave - taking advantage of Good Friday, Easter Monday and Early May bank holiday. A similar manoeuvre can be done in May if preferred, as it has two bank holidays.       

Navagio beach, a popular tourist destination with the famous wrecked ship in Zante, Greece

However for those who have chosen to not take any holiday in 2020 and have 28 days to roll over, they could cash in on a series of shorter breaks throughout 2021, totalling an incredible 93 days off - a quarter of the year spent on holiday.       

In order to do this they must book off January 1 to January 10 using five days of holiday and one bank holiday (New Year's Day) for 10 days off.

Then March 27 to April 11, using eight days annual leave and two bank holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday) for 16 days off work. 

In May they can enjoy an extended nine day bank holiday weekend, booking May 1 to May 9 and using four days of annual leave and one bank holiday (Early May bank holiday).

Then towards the end of the month they can enjoy another nine days off, booking May 29 to June 6 using four days of leave and one bank holiday (Spring bank holiday). 

And for a late August nine-day get away they can book August 28 to September 5 using four days holiday and one bank holiday (Summer bank holiday).

Finally for a lovely extended 16 days off at Christmas and New Year they could book from December 25 to January 9, 2022, using just seven days holiday and three bank holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day). 

That totals 69 days off, using 32 days of leave, meaning those who have rolled over 28 days of unused leave from 2020 will have 16 days of leave remaining which can be turned into 24 days by positioning it around the weekends - totalling a total of 93 days off in one year. 

Whether they plan to spend holiday in isolation or jet across the world in 2021, here's how workers can maximise their annual leave for next year by manipulating the calendar

The great tourist attraction of Cappadocia in Turkey,  known around the world as one of the best places to fly with hot air balloons

However those wishing to maximise their holiday should book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, as research found the number of UK employees pre-booking holiday days off for 2021 almost doubled over this time last year.

A fifth of all workers having already booked in their time off for next year, according to figures from RotaCloud who analysed the holiday usage of 20,000 UK based workers.   

The measures to allow annual leave roll over were proposed by Business Secretary Alok Sharma to protect businesses from staffing shortages throughout the pandemic - this is something to consider if you are hoping to book a long period of time off.

Sharma said in March: 'Whether it is in our hospitals, or our supermarkets, people are working around the clock to help our country deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

'Changes will mean these valued employees do not lose out on the annual leave they are entitled to as a result of their efforts, and employers are not penalised.' 

HOLIDAY TO BOOK in 2021...

To enjoy 69 days off using just 32 days of leave, book off:    

January 1 to January 10 - using five days of holiday and one bank holiday (New Year's Day) for ten days off.

March 27 to April 11 - using eight days annual leave and two bank holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday) for 16 days off.

May 1 to May 9 - using four days of annual leave and one bank holiday (Early May bank holiday) for nine days off.

May 29 to June 6 - using four days of leave and one bank holiday (Spring bank holiday) for nine days off. 

August 28 to September 5 - using four days holiday and one bank holiday (Summer bank holiday) for nine days off.

December 25 to January 9, 2022, using just seven days holiday and three bank holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day) for 16 days off. 

 

If you have rolled over a full 28 days from 2020 (leaving you with a total of 48 days of annual leave, 28 days rolled over, plus 20 statutory days from 2021 ) you will have 16 days of leave remaining after booking the dates above, this can be turned into 24 days by positioning it around the weekends - totalling a total of 93 days off in one year.