NHS Annual Leave Calculator 2026/27 (Agenda for Change)

Under Agenda for Change, full-time staff in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland get 27 days on appointment, rising to 29 days after 5 years of NHS service, and 33 days after 10 years, all plus 8 bank holidays. Wales gives one extra day at every tier: 28, 30 and 34 days.

Because 'days' alone doesn't fairly reflect entitlement for everyone's working pattern. Someone working 3 long days a week and someone working 5 short days a week could have the same total contracted hours but very different numbers of 'days off' available. Converting entitlement to hours first, then pro-rating by your contracted hours, is the standard NHS method and gives a fairer, more accurate figure - you can then think of it in days based on your own typical working pattern.

Yes, pro-rated into hours, regardless of which specific days you're contracted to work. This means if a bank holiday falls on a day you don't normally work, you still build up an equivalent amount of leave you can take at another time, rather than losing out simply because of which days you're rostered.

No, it generally means continuous service across the NHS as a whole, not just with your current Trust or Health Board, as long as there hasn't been a disqualifying break in service. If you've moved between NHS employers, your prior NHS service usually still counts towards your leave tier - check with your current employer's HR team to confirm your recognised service date.

The leave tiers themselves (27/29/33 days) are the same as England and Northern Ireland, but because Scotland's standard full-time week reduces to 36 hours from 1 April 2026 (down from 37.5), the HOURS equivalent of that same number of days is slightly lower in Scotland than elsewhere, since each 'day' represents fewer standard hours.