How to get a whopping 59 DAYS of leave using only 27 in 2025
There are a few conditions
Last updated 26th Nov 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.
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 Scottish Bank Holidays off, then you could potentially get 59 days off using just 27 days annual leave, here's how...
Bank Holidays in Scotland in 2025
New Year’s Day – Wednesday 1st January 2025
2nd January – Thursday 2nd January 2025
Good Friday – Friday 18th April 2025
Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 5th May 2025
Spring Bank Holiday – Monday 26th May 2025
Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 4th August 2025
St Andrew’s Day (substitute day) – Monday 1st December 2025
Christmas Day – Thursday 25th December 2025
Boxing Day – Friday 26th December 2025
How to maximise your annual leave
January 2025: Wednesday 1st January - Sunday 5th January
With two Bank Holidays and one day annual leave, you can enjoy five full days off work at the beginning of the year.
April 2025: Saturday 12th April - Sunday 20th April
Thanks to Easter, we get another Bank Holiday and by booking Monday 14th April - Thursday 17th April off, you can enjoy nine days off work.
May/June 2025: Saturday 3rd May - Monday 11th May / Saturday 24th May - Sunday 1st June
May is a month with two Bank Holidays, 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 2nd August - Sunday 10th August
With another Bank Holiday in August, by booking Tuesday 5th to Friday 8th August off you can enjoy nine days off in total.
November/December 2025: Saturday 29th November - 7th December
With St Andrew's substitute day being on Monday 1st December, by booking off the rest of the week you can enjoy a full nine days off work.
December 2025: Saturday 20th December - 1st January 2026
Later on in December, with Christmas Day and Boxing Day Bank Holidays, and the two New Year's holidays on 1st and 2nd January 2026, you can book just six days off on 22nd - 24th December and 29th - 31st December, to enjoy a mega 14 days off!
As mentioned there are a few conditions for this to work, you must work Monday to Friday, and have the Scottish Bank Holidays off, but if you do, it's possible to get a massive 58 days off, using just 27 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:
Gavin & Stacey
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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.
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.
Missing You
Following the success of Fool Me Once in January 2024, Netflix were quick to announce they were adapting two more Harlan Coben books. The first one to land is Missing You, with bosses now revealing it will be available to stream on 1st January 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 landing on 1st January 2025. In August 2024, BBC bosses also announced the show had been renewed for a fourth series, with filming set to begin in 2025.
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! Netflix have now announced series two will land on Thursday 23rd January 2025. The show has also now been renewed for a third series.
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!
Dancing On Ice
Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby are set to return in early 2025 for a brand new series of Dancing On Ice, with a whole new bunch of celebs signing up to take part in the show.
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.
Celebrity Big Brother
Following the first rebooted series in 2024, which welcomed celebs such as Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and David Potts, it was confirmed that Celebrity Big Brother will be returning for another season in 2025!
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.
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.
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.
Clarkson's Farm
Following three amazing series, Prime Video confirmed a fourth series was in the works in 2024, with it due to land in 2025. As if that wasn't enough, Jeremy has now confirmed series five is in production!
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.
Mrs Brown's Boys
The popular controversial comedy Mrs Brown's Boys is returning for a fifth season! The show made its almighty return to screens in 2023, with fans delighted at the news that not only do we have some festive specials on the way - but a brand new mini series coming our way - with filming set to begin in 2025.
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 - with fans taking it upon themselves to dub the season 'Emily In Rome'.
Trigger Point
Following two successful series, ITV/STV bosses announced in October 2024 that they'd commissioned Trigger Point for a third series, with production set to begin in London in 2025. Vicky McClure will reprise her role as bomb disposal operative Lana Washington, with series three expected to air sometime in early 2026.
Nobody Wants This
It was one of the most popular rom-coms of 2024, so it's no surprise Netflix bosses were quick to renew Nobody Wants This, starring Adam Brody and Kristen Bell. Although there's no exact release date for series two just yet, we suspect it will be sometime in 2025.
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.
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