How to get a whopping 59 DAYS of leave using only 28 in 2026
There are a few conditions
If you love your holidays, then you might want to get in quickly with booking your annual leave for 2026. 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.
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...
Bank holidays in 2026:
Thursday 1st January: New Year’s Day
Friday 3rd April: Good Friday
Monday 6th April: Easter Monday
Monday 4th May: Early May bank holiday
Monday 25th May: Spring bank holiday
Monday 31st August: Summer bank holiday
Friday 25th December: Christmas Day
Monday 28th December: Boxing Day (substitute day)
Saturday 28th March - Sunday 12th April
Thanks to Easter, where we get two Bank Holidays, by booking Monday 30th March - Thursday 2nd April and Tuesday 7th April - Friday 10th April off, you can enjoy a massive 16 days off by just booking eight.
Saturday 28th March – Weekend
Sunday 29th March – Weekend
Monday 30th March – Annual leave
Tuesday 31st March – Annual leave
Wednesday 1st April – Annual leave
Thursday 2nd April – Annual leave
Friday 3rd April – Bank Holiday (Good Friday)
Saturday 4th April – Weekend
Sunday 5th April – Weekend
Monday 6th April – Bank Holiday (Easter Monday)
Tuesday 7th April – Annual leave
Wednesday 8th April – Annual leave
Thursday 9th April – Annual leave
Friday 10th April – Annual leave
Saturday 11th April – Weekend
Sunday 12th April – Weekend
Saturday 2nd May - Sunday 10th May
By taking off Tuesday 5th May - 8th May you can enjoy total of nine days off around the Bank Holiday.
Saturday 2nd May – Weekend
Sunday 3rd May – Weekend
Monday 4th May – Bank Holiday (Early May bank holiday)
Tuesday 5th May – Annual leave
Wednesday 6th May – Annual leave
Thursday 7th May – Annual leave
Friday 8th May – Annual leave
Saturday 9th May – Weekend
Sunday 10th May – Weekend
Saturday 23rd May - Sunday 31st May
By taking off Tuesday 26th May - 29th May you can enjoy another total of nine days off around the Bank Holiday.
Saturday 23rd May – Weekend
Sunday 24th May – Weekend
Monday 25th May – Bank Holiday (Spring bank holiday)
Tuesday 26th May – Annual leave
Wednesday 27th May – Annual leave
Thursday 28th May – Annual leave
Friday 29th May – Annual leave
Saturday 30th May – Weekend
Sunday 31st May – Weekend
Saturday 29th August - Sunday 6th September
With another Bank Holiday in August, by booking Tuesday 1st September to Friday 4th September off, you can enjoy nine days off in total.
Saturday 29th August – Weekend
Sunday 30th August – Weekend
Monday 31st August – Bank Holiday (Summer bank holiday)
Tuesday 1st September – Annual leave
Wednesday 2nd September – Annual leave
Thursday 3rd September – Annual leave
Friday 4th September – Annual leave
Saturday 5th September – Weekend
Sunday 6th September – Weekend
Saturday 19th December - 3rd January 2027
With the Christmas Day and Boxing Day (substitute) Bank Holidays, and the New Year's Day one on 1st January 2027, you can book just seven days off on 21st - 24th December and 29th - 31st December, to enjoy 16 days off!
Saturday 19th December – Weekend
Sunday 20th December – Weekend
Monday 21st December – Annual leave
Tuesday 22nd December – Annual leave
Wednesday 23rd December – Annual leave
Thursday 24th December – Annual leave
Friday 25th December – Bank Holiday (Christmas Day)
Saturday 26th December – Weekend
Sunday 27th December – Weekend
Monday 28th December – Bank Holiday (Boxing Day substitute)
Tuesday 29th December – Annual leave
Wednesday 30th December – Annual leave
Thursday 31st December – Annual leave
Friday 1st January – Bank Holiday (New Year’s Day)
Saturday 2nd January – Weekend
Sunday 3rd January – Weekend
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!
Now take a look through TV shows we can't wait to return:
Emily In Paris
That's right, after things got pretty interesting for Emily Cooper as we saw her set up camp in Rome, starring actress Lily Collins answered our prayers as she confirmed that a fifth season is officially on the way - hitting Netflix on Thursday 18th December.
Stranger Things
Netflix bosses confirmed in January 2023 that the fifth and final series of Stranger Things had officially started production - and at the 2025 Tudum event, confirmed that the series will be released in three parts. Volume 1 landed in the UK on 27th November, followed by Volume 2 on 26th December and the final ever episode on 1st January 2026.
The Traitors
Series four of The Traitors will begin at 8pm on 1st January 2026! A fifth series has also now been confirmed, as well as a second celebrity edition.
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 started in March 2025, with Martin Compston joining the cast, and now we know it will begin on 1st January 2026.
The Night Agent
After series two dropped on Netflix in January, bosses were quick to confirm The Night Agent would return for a third instalment, with Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland. Production for series three started in February 2025, and bosses have now confirmed it will return on 19th February.
Ted Lasso
Following the end of series three in 2023, fans were crying out for a fourth series of comedy show Ted Lasso! On Friday 14th March, main actor Jason Sudeikis confirmed the exciting news, revealing it was in early production! There's no release date just yet.
Hijack
Following series one back in June 2023, Apple TV bosses have now confirmed Idris Elba will return for a second series of Hijack! It's now been revealed that series two will begin on 14th January 2026!
Vigil
Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie reprising their roles as DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre in BBC drama Vigil. With filming now taking place in Scotland. fans could see series three land in early 2026.
The Day of the Jackal
Series one of thriller The Day of the Jackal has broken viewing records for Sky Atlantic, so there's no surprise that bosses were quick to renew the show for a second series, before the first was even over! Although there's no air date just yet, filming is expected to take place in 2025.
Line of Duty
Now that the BBC have confirmed there's going to be a seventh series of award-winning crime drama Line of Duty, fans are counting down the months! Filming is due to begin in Spring 2026, so we could expect it to land in the second half of 2026.
After The Flood
Actress Sophie Rundle played the role of Joanna Marshall in series one of ITV/STV drama After The Flood. The show was so popular it was immediately renewed for a second series, with Alun Armstrong, Jill Halfpenny, Ian Puleston-Davies and Matthew McNulty joining the cast. Filming for series two started in March 2025, so we suspect it could arrive later this year.
Amandaland
Following the first series of Motherland spin-off show Amandaland, BBC bosses were quick to renew comedy series Amandaland for a second series. Lucy Punch will return as Amanda, alongside Joanna Lumley and Philippa Dunne. Filming for series two started in October 2025, with bosses also announcing a Christmas special!
Unforgotten
After series six aired in early 2025, ITV/STV bosses were quick to recommission crime drama Unforgotten for a seventh series, with Sanjeev Bhaskar and Sinéad Keenan set to return. There's no official start date just yet, but we imagine it will be early 2026.
Bridgerton
On the same day bosses announced the show had been renewed for a fifth and sixth series, Netflix also confirmed the hugely-antipcated fourth series would land in 2026. Part one will land on 29th January 2026, with part two dropping on 26th February 2026.
This City Is Ours
Following the first series which aired in 2025, This City Is Ours has been renewed for a second series, with filming taking place now! Julie Graham, James Nelson-Joyce and Jack McMullen will all return. There's no start date just yet, but we imagine it will be sometime in 2026.
The Masked Singer
Bonkers entertainment show The Masked Singer UK has officially been renewed for another season, due to air in early 2026.
At Home With The Furys
Following the popular first series back in 2023, Netflix bosses confirmed a second series of At Home With The Furys in May 2025. Filming with Tyson Fury, his wife Paris, and the couple's seven children is underway now.
The Bear
Following the fourth series arriving in June 2025, bosses have now confirmed The Bear will return for a fifth series! Although there's been no start date given just yet, the show typically begins every year in June.
Gangs of London
Following the third series earlier in 2025, which ended on a major cliffhanger, Sky have now confirmed Gangs of London has been commissioned for a fourth series. Although there's no start date just yet, filming is due to begin in January 2026.
Peaky Blinders
Much to the shock of everybody, Steven Knight revealed in October 2025 that the show will be returning for two more series! The series will be all about a new generation of the Shelby family, so it's not a given that Cillian Murphy will reprise his iconic role as Tommy Shelby. It'll be filmed in Digbeth, Birmingham. There's no release date just yet!
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
After the monumental, global success of TV series Game of Thrones, it's no wonder that bosses over at HBO have confirmed yet another spin-off series. Based on the series of novels by George R. R. Martin, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will weave into the storylines we already know from both the original series and House of the Dragon. The show will air on HBO in January 2026.
The Celebrity Traitors
After the record-breaking first series in October-November 2025, BBC bosses have now confirmed The Celebrity Traitors will return for a second series in 2026!
All's Fair
After becoming the biggest Hulu Original scripted series premiere in three years, Ryan Murphy's All's Fair has now been renewed for a second series! Starring Kim Kardashian, Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close, Naomi Watts and Niecy Nash, production begins in Spring 2026.
Trigger Point
After three hugely-successful series of ITV drama Trigger Point, the show will return for a fourth series in 2026! Although there's no release date just yet, we do know that filming is now complete!
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