NHS Annual Leave Calculator
Estimate your annual leave entitlement under Agenda for Change rules, including part-time pro-rata and part-year service.
This is an estimate. Local trust rules, carry-over, and country-specific bank holiday counts can vary.
How NHS annual leave entitlement works
If you are on Agenda for Change terms and conditions, your annual leave allowance is linked to your length of NHS service. The standard full-time entitlement increases at key service milestones, and part-time staff receive the same entitlement on a pro-rata basis.
Standard full-time entitlement bands
- Up to 5 years of service: 27 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays
- After 5 years of service: 29 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays
- After 10 years of service: 33 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays
This NHS calculator annual leave tool follows those common bands and then scales your result by your contracted hours and months worked in the leave year.
What this NHS calculator annual leave tool calculates
The calculator gives you a practical estimate in multiple formats, so you can plan more easily:
- Your service band and base full-time allowance
- Pro-rata annual leave days
- Pro-rata bank holiday allowance
- Total entitlement in hours
- Approximate number of shifts you can book off
- Equivalent leave days based on your weekly working pattern
Calculation method used
The calculator uses this logic:
- FTE ratio = contracted weekly hours / full-time weekly hours
- Part-year factor = months worked / 12
- Pro-rata entitlement = full-time entitlement × FTE ratio × part-year factor
Example
Suppose you have 6 years of NHS service, work 30 hours per week, and full-time in your trust is 37.5 hours. You work the full leave year:
- Service band: 29 days + 8 bank holidays = 37 full-time days
- FTE ratio: 30 / 37.5 = 0.8
- Estimated total leave: 37 × 0.8 = 29.6 days (including bank holidays)
If you only worked 6 months of the leave year, that would be halved to around 14.8 days.
Important points before you rely on any estimate
1) Trust policy can differ
Some trusts record leave in hours, others in days. Rounding methods can also vary (for example, rounding up to the nearest half-hour).
2) Bank holiday handling may vary
Different UK nations can have different bank holiday totals in a year. Some teams convert all leave to hours and deduct public holidays automatically from that balance.
3) Joiners and leavers are pro-rata
If you start or leave mid-year, entitlement is usually calculated from the proportion of the leave year worked. Your ESR record and HR team should provide the official figure.
4) Previous NHS service can count
In many cases, reckonable NHS service from previous employment can be included, which may move you into a higher annual leave band sooner.
FAQs
Does this calculator replace HR confirmation?
No. It is a planning tool only. Always check your trust policy and payroll/HR statement for your exact entitlement.
Should I calculate leave in days or hours?
Hours are usually better for shift workers and variable patterns. Days can be useful for quick planning if your schedule is regular.
Can I include or exclude bank holidays?
Yes. Use the dropdown in the calculator to switch between annual leave only and total leave including bank holidays.
Final note
This NHS calculator annual leave page is designed to give clear, fast estimates for NHS staff, managers, and workforce planners. For official values, always use your trust documentation and ESR records.