This NHS annual leave calculator helps you work out your annual leave entitlement under the Agenda for Change (AfC) contract. Whether you work full-time or part-time, this tool calculates your leave in both hours and days.
The calculator covers NHS staff in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It accounts for your length of service, contracted hours, and any bank or public holidays you're entitled to.
You can also use this tool if you started or left your role part-way through the leave year, and to calculate your live balance after carry-over, purchased leave and leave already taken.
Please note: Results are approximate and should be confirmed with your HR or payroll department.
How to use this NHS annual leave calculator
- Select your nation and enter your weekly contracted hours.
- Enter your total NHS reckonable service (years and months).
- Choose whether to calculate for a full leave year or a specific period.
- Optionally add any carry-over, purchased or sold leave, and leave already taken.
- Click "Calculate my leave" to see your results.
NHS annual leave rules at a glance
Under Agenda for Change, your annual leave entitlement (excluding bank holidays) depends on your length of NHS service:
| Length of service | Annual leave (full-time) |
|---|---|
| 0–4 years | 27 days (202.5 hours) |
| 5–9 years | 29 days (217.5 hours) |
| 10+ years | 33 days (247.5 hours) |
Bank and public holidays are added to your entitlement. Part-time staff receive a pro-rata entitlement based on their contracted hours.
Enter your details and click "Calculate my leave" to see your entitlement.
NHS annual leave calculator FAQs
NHS annual leave under Agenda for Change (AfC) is based on your length of reckonable service. You receive 27 days (202.5 hours) with 0–4 years' service, 29 days (217.5 hours) with 5–9 years' service, and 33 days (247.5 hours) with 10 or more years' service. These figures are for full-time staff working 37.5 hours per week. Part-time staff receive a pro-rata entitlement based on their contracted hours.
After reaching 5 years of NHS reckonable service, your annual leave entitlement increases from 27 to 29 days (or 217.5 hours if full-time). After 10 years' service, you receive 33 days (247.5 hours). These service uplifts are automatic under Agenda for Change and apply from the anniversary of your NHS start date.
Yes, this calculator is designed for both full-time and part-time NHS staff. Simply enter your weekly contracted hours and the calculator will work out your pro-rata entitlement. For example, if you work 22.5 hours per week (60% of full-time), you'll receive 60% of the full-time annual leave entitlement.
Bank and public holidays are added on top of your basic annual leave entitlement. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays per year, Scotland has 9, and Northern Ireland has 10. Part-time staff receive a pro-rata bank holiday entitlement based on their contracted hours, ensuring fair treatment regardless of working pattern.
Yes, this NHS annual leave calculator supports mid-year starters and leavers. Select "Specific number of months" or "Custom date range" to calculate your pro-rated entitlement. The calculator will adjust both your annual leave and bank holiday entitlement based on the portion of the leave year you're working.
Yes, this NHS annual leave calculator covers all four UK nations. Select your nation from the dropdown menu and the calculator will apply the correct number of bank holidays: 8 for England and Wales, 9 for Scotland, and 10 for Northern Ireland. The basic annual leave entitlement under Agenda for Change is the same across all nations.
This calculator is designed specifically for NHS staff on Agenda for Change (AfC) contracts. It does not apply to medical and dental staff, very senior managers (VSMs), or those on other contract types. If you're unsure which contract you're on, please check with your HR department.
This calculator provides an accurate estimate based on standard NHS Agenda for Change rules. However, individual circumstances may vary, and some NHS Trusts have local agreements that may affect your entitlement. Always confirm your annual leave allocation with your line manager or HR department.
We convert hours to days using your typical shift length. By default, this is set to 7.5 hours (based on a 37.5-hour week divided by 5 days). If you work longer shifts, adjust the "Shift length" field accordingly. For example, if you work 12-hour shifts, enter 12 and the days calculation will reflect how many of your shifts the hours equate to.
While 37.5 hours is standard for most NHS Agenda for Change contracts, some roles may have different full-time baselines. Simply adjust the "Full-time hours baseline" field to match your Trust's definition of full-time hours, and the calculator will adjust all calculations accordingly.