1.7 Million Workers Lose Holidays Says TUC

Up to one in seven workers are missing out on their legal entitlement to paid holidays, partly because of "bad employers'' breaking the law, according to a new study.

The TUC estimated that almost 1.7 million employees across the UK are being denied their full holidays.

The biggest number work in arts and entertainment (almost 14%), accommodation and food (12.5%), administration and support services (9.2%) and construction (8%), said the union organisation.

An average of 6.4% of UK workers are losing their holiday rights, although the figure is 9.5% in Northern Ireland, 7.6% in Wales and 7.5% in London, research discovered.

The lowest figure is in the North East at 5.1% and Scotland at 5.2%, the analysis of unpublished figures from the Labour Force Survey found.

The TUC said it had become easier for bad employers to deny workers their full holiday pay since fees for taking cases to employment tribunals were introduced two years ago.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: As people head off on their holidays, spare a thought for those still stuck at work with bad bosses who break the law by denying staff their full holiday.

Some employers deliberately stop staff from taking the leave and holiday pay they're entitled to, whereas other workers lose out from poor management and failure to keep up with the law.

Workers should not be cheated out of their holidays through illegal and unfair practices by employers. We are in danger of seeing a burnout Britain where workers feel pressured to give up their holidays and increase their hours.

We are worried that David Cameron's EU renegotiation may take away our statutory holiday entitlements by opting-out of the working time directive.

These figures on the number of people missing out on their holiday rights clearly show that the rules need to be strengthened rather than weakened further.''