How to get a whopping 59 DAYS of leave using only 28 in 2025

There are a few conditions

Author: Anna Sky MagliolaPublished 21st Aug 2024

If you love your holidays, then you might want to get in quickly with booking your annual leave for 2025. Here we take a look at how to maximise your annual leave next year, but of course there are a few conditions. Don't worry if you can't fulfil all the conditions, you can still maximise your leave with some careful planning.

In 2024 we have the fewest number of Bank Holidays since 2021, following the extra holidays in recent years for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the King's Coronation.

As much as some of us might like our jobs, a day off is always greatly appreciated, so if you work Monday to Friday and have English/Welsh Bank Holidays off, then you could potentially get 59 days off using just 28 days annual leave. Here's how...

January 2025: Wednesday 1st January - Sunday 5th January

With one Bank Holiday and two days annual leave, you can enjoy five full days off work at the beginning of the year.

April 2025: Saturday 12th April - 27th April

Thanks to Easter, where we get two Bank Holidays, by booking Monday 14th April - Thursday 17th April and Tuesday 22nd - Friday 25th April off, you can enjoy a massive 16 days off by just booking eight.

May/June 2025: Saturday 3rd May - Monday 11th May / Saturday 24th May - Sunday 1st June

Another month with two Bank Holidays is May, and by taking off Tuesday 6th May - 9th May and Tuesday 27th May - 30th May you can enjoy a total of nine days off around each Bank Holiday.

August 2025: Saturday 23rd August - Sunday 31st August

With another Bank Holiday in August, by booking Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th August off you can enjoy nine days off in total.

December 2025: Saturday 20th December - 1st January 2026

With the Christmas Day and Boxing Day Bank Holidays, and the New Year's Day one on 1st January 2026, you can book just six days off on 22nd - 24th December and 29th - 31st December, to enjoy 13 days off!

As mentioned there are a few conditions for this to work, you must work Monday to Friday, and have the English/Welsh Bank Holidays off, but if you do, it's possible to get a massive 59 days off, using just 28 days annual leave!

You'll have to be quick though, because it's likely that your workmates will also be requesting these days off!

Take a look through TV shows we can't wait to return:

Married At First Sight UK

Following the Australian version earlier this year, fans are gearing up for the 2024 UK series of Married At First Sight. After filming took place earlier this year, the series is set to begin on Monday 16th September.

My Mum, Your Dad

Davina McCall is set to return to help play matchmaker for some middle-aged singletons on series two of My Mum, Your Dad. It's understood the series will begin on 16th September 2024.

The Great British Bake Off

After Matty Egdell won the show last year, Bake Off is set to return once again this September, with a whole host of new aspiring bakers trying to impress Prue and Paul! The new series will begin on Tuesday 26th September.

Strictly Come Dancing

Despite the recent controversy surrounding the show, BBC bosses have confirmed the 20th anniversary series of Strictly Come Dancing will go ahead, and the line-up was announced in August! It's understood Strictly will begin on Saturday 21st September.

Waterloo Road

Series 14 of hit school drama Waterloo Road is set to return to BBC One in September! Since the show's revival in 2023, it's been very popular with fans, with Jason Manford joining the cast for the upcoming new series.

Heartstopper

After production started in 2023, in March 2024, Netflix bosses confirmed the third series of Heartstopper will land on 3rd October this year!

Squid Game

Another roaring Netflix success, Squid Game had us all hooked when it was released in 2021. Breaking records and topping streaming charts, the show proved incredibly popular and after THAT ending, left us all wanting more.


Show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has confirmed that season two is officially happening, and now the third and final season has been announced for 2025. In July 2024, Netflix bosses confirmed series two will land on 26th December 2024.

Big Brother

Following the first rebooted series in 2023, ITV/STV bosses were quick to renew reality series Big Brother for a second instalment! It's understood series two will land in October!

Stranger Things

Netflix bosses confirmed in January 2023 that the fifth and final series of Stranger Things had officially started production! Despite this, there's still no word yet on a release date.

The Night Agent

After series one was Netflix's most-watched show of 2023, bosses were quick to commission The Night Agent for a second series, which is due out in 2024. Although we don't have an official start date just yet, in February, bosses confirmed production had started!

Gavin & Stacey

Five years after THAT cliffhanger ending of the last Gavin & Stacey Christmas special, Ruth Jones and James Corden have now confirmed they've written another Christmas special for 2024! Sharing the news in May, the pair confirmed the brand new episode will air on Christmas Day.

Outnumbered

BBC bosses confirmed in May that award-winning comedy Outnumbered will return for a brand new Christmas special in 2024! The original cast Hugh Dennis, Claire Skinner, Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez will all reprise their roles. The special is expected to air on Christmas Day.

Hijack

Following series one back in June 2023, Apple TV bosses have now confirmed Idris Elba will return for a second series of Hijack! No plot or start date has been announced just yet, but reports are rife that production will begin soon.

Unforgotten

Following the tense ending to series five in April 2023, ITV/STV bosses were quick to reveal drama series Unforgotten had been commissioned for a sixth series. Filming started in March 2024, so we imagine the new episodes could land later in the year.

Black Mirror

In March 2024, Netflix bosses revealed a seventh series of Black Mirror will land in 2025, with one of the episodes set to be a sequel to series four episode USS Callister. No official date has been announced just yet.

Gladiators

Following the hugely successful first series, BBC bosses were quick to announce Gladiators had been commissioned for a second series! Although there's no official start date, filming took place in August, which also included a celebrity special!

The Bay

ITV/STV drama The Bay was immediately renewed for a fifth series, following the fourth in 2023. Marsha Thomason is set to reprise her role as DS Jenn Townsend. Although there's no start date just yet, filming wrapped in July 2024.

Deal or No Deal

Deal or No Deal was one of the most successful reboots of 2023, so it's no shock bosses were quick to renew the show for a second series. Applications for series two are open now, with Stephen Mulhern expected to return later this year.

I'm A Celeb

It is the show we all look forward to towards the end of the year, and this year is no different! Ant and Dec are set to head over to Australia alongside more brave celebs for the 2024 series of I'm A Celeb. The popular entertainment show usually begins in November.

Dancing On Ice

Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby are set to return in early 2025 for a brand new series of Dancing On Ice. Which celebs will sign up this time round?

Race Across The World

Series four of Race Across The World was one of the BBC's most popular shows of the year, and they were quick to renew the show for a fifth series. With applications closing in May this year, we suspect the show will air around Spring 2025.

The Traitors

Following that tense final of The Traitors series two earlier this year, fans cannot wait for the return of the show, with series three expected in early 2024. In August 2024, BBC bosses also announced the show had been renewed for a fourth series, with filming set to begin in 2025.

Love Is Blind: UK

Following the successful first series of Love Is Blind: UK, with hosts Matt and Emma Willis, Netflix have now confirmed the series has been renewed for a second instalment! Applications are open now, with series two set to air in 2025.

Red Eye

ITV/STV crime drama Red Eye become one of the station's biggest shows in 2024, so it's no surprise it was commissioned for a second series. Filming is due to begin in 2025, but there's no word on any release date just yet.

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