Confused about when is best to book your annual leave in 2025? Fear not, for Citizens Advice has come up with a brilliant hack for "maximising" your time off. While most full-time UK workers get around five weeks (25 days) of annual leave, the charity claims you can stretch just 23 of those days into an impressive 52 consecutive days off – if you're savvy with your employer. Taking to TikTok, Citizens Advice explained that utilising Bank Holidays and weekends can extend your time off far beyond what you'd expect.
They began by sharing a tip for April, which has two bank holidays: Good Friday (18th) and Easter Monday (21st). "Book eight days off - 14th to 17th and 22nd to 25th April," they said. This strategy, combined with weekends and bank holidays, gives you an impressive 16 straight days off. May is another month to target, with a further two bank holidays: Early May bank holiday (5th) and Spring bank holiday (26th). Citizens Advice reveals how to snag two separate nine-day breaks: "Request 6th to 9th (four days) and you'll have time off from 3rd to 11th," they said. "Request 27th to 30th (four days) and you will be off from 24th to June 1st.".
And don't forget August, where taking advantage of the Summer bank holiday on the 25th can grant you yet another nine-day vacation in the warmer weather. So grab your calendar and start planning – your ultimate holiday schedule awaits! "Request 26th to 29th (four days) to generate time off from 23rd to 31st," Citizens Advice continued. That brings on to the festive season - a time in which many of us are keen to snag as much holiday time as possible, with Christmas Day (25th) and Boxing Day (26th) the final two bank holidays of the year.
For a longer break, the charity suggests: "Request 22nd to 24th (three days) and you'll benefit from being off from 20th to 28th.". Citizens Advice also advises: "If you work regular hours all year round, your employer has to give you 5.6 weeks' holiday each year. This is known as your 'statutory entitlement’. Your employer might give you more than this but it’s up to them - check your contract. If your contract gives you more than 5.6 weeks’ holiday, the first 5.6 weeks are your statutory entitlement, anything more is called 'contractual' holiday.
