How to get the most out of your annual leave in 2026
Get a whopping 59 days off, using just 28 days annual leave!
If you love your holidays, then you might want to get in quickly with booking your annual leave for 2026. Let's take a look at how to maximise your annual leave next year, 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 - Friday 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 - Friday 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!
Take a look at things you'll only know if your birthday is around Christmas:
1. Christmas wrapping paper
If you're lucky enough to get a separate birthday present it will be wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper.
2. Joint present
However most of the time you'll get a 'big' joint present for your birthday and Christmas.
3. Birthday tree
Your birthday presents will end up being put under the tree as 'they look pretty under there'.
4. Joint card
If you're really unfortunate you'll get a Merry Birthday card! Sometimes it would be better to get no cards than one that is for both occasions.
5. Finding a date for your party
It's difficult to find a good date for your birthday party because everyone has Christmas parties. When you finally find a suitable date it will be after Christmas and everyone will be skint.
6. Your party will end up Christmassy
If you do manage to get a date for your party, it will end up Christmassy despite efforts to make it about your birthday.
7. Bad weather
Bad weather ruins your plans, whether it's the snow and ice or wind, Mother Nature will find some way to make it difficult for people to get to your party.
8. You have to wait all year
While most people have two very separate celebrations you have to wait all year for your 'one' big celebration.
Now read:
The top 20 toys for Christmas 2025
All of John Lewis' Christmas adverts over the years
10 top tips to keep your house warm as the cold weather creeps in