Holiday entitlement for zero-hours workers

Zero-hours and casual staff still get 5.6 weeks of paid holiday — but because their hours vary, it is worked out as a percentage of hours actually worked. Here is the method.

Last reviewed July 2026 · General guidance, not legal advice.

Yes, zero-hours workers get holiday

Anyone with worker status is entitled to the full 5.6 weeks of paid statutory holiday a year under the Working Time Regulations 1998 — including zero-hours, casual and agency staff. The only difference is how you calculate it, because there is no fixed weekly pattern to multiply.

The 12.07% accrual method

For irregular hours, holiday is built up as a percentage of the hours actually worked. The magic number is 12.07%. It comes from the statutory entitlement itself:

A year has 52 weeks. Take off the 5.6 weeks of holiday and 46.4 working weeks remain.
5.6 ÷ 46.4 = 0.1207 = 12.07%.

So each hour worked earns about 0.1207 hours (roughly 7¼ minutes) of paid holiday. Our holiday accrual calculator turns hours worked into holiday earned for you.

Worked example

A zero-hours worker does 30 hours one week and 10 the next — 40 hours over the fortnight:

40 hours × 12.07% = 4.83 hours of holiday earned.
Over a quarter working, say, 400 hours: 400 × 12.07% = 48.3 hours earned.

The holiday balance simply grows in step with the hours they work — no need to guess a fixed allowance in advance.

Hours worked in period	Holiday earned (×12.07%)
40	4.83 hours
100	12.07 hours
400	48.28 hours

What changed in 2024

For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, the government made two important changes for irregular-hours and part-year workers:

12.07% accrual confirmed. Holiday for these workers is formally accrued at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period — restoring the simple method after earlier case law had cast doubt on it.
Rolled-up holiday pay allowed again. Employers can pay holiday as a 12.07% uplift on each payslip rather than only when leave is taken. It must be itemised as a separate line on the payslip.

Note this only applies to genuinely irregular-hours and part-year workers. Staff on fixed part-time patterns are worked out the ordinary pro-rata way — see our guide on calculating holiday for part-time staff, or use the pro-rata holiday calculator.

Track it accurately

With varying hours, an accurate running balance matters. Rotaleave’s hourly holiday tracking accrues leave at 12.07% as hours are logged, so zero-hours balances stay minute-accurate without a spreadsheet.

Check the official sources

This is general guidance, not legal advice. The 2024 changes are detailed on gov.uk and Acas — check them for the exact rules on rolled-up pay, part-year workers and your leave-year dates.

Common questions

Do zero-hours workers get paid holiday?

Yes. Anyone classed as a worker is entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday a year, including zero-hours and casual staff. Because their hours vary, entitlement is usually built up as a percentage of the hours they actually work.

Where does the 12.07% figure come from?

5.6 weeks of holiday out of the 46.4 working weeks left in the year (52 − 5.6) is 5.6 ÷ 46.4 = 12.07%. So each hour worked earns roughly 0.1207 hours of holiday.

What changed for holiday pay in 2024?

For leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024, the government reintroduced the 12.07% accrual method for irregular-hours and part-year workers, and allowed rolled-up holiday pay — paying holiday as a 12.07% uplift on each payslip rather than only when leave is taken.

Is rolled-up holiday pay allowed now?

Yes, for irregular-hours and part-year workers whose leave year starts on or after 1 April 2024. It must be shown as a separate line on the payslip and calculated as at least 12.07% of pay for work done in that period.