Holiday entitlement to grow

Six million workers in Britain have been promised up to eight extra days annual holiday with the first four coming in October this year.

The extra holidays will benefit up to 3.5million women and 2.5million men.

The Government has published new regulations to boost the minimum holiday entitlement from 20 days a year to 24 days from this October, and to 28 days from April 2009.

Jim Fitzpatrick, DTI Employment Relations Minister said:

"This extra time off will make a real difference in the lives of hard-working people - a proper rest from work and more time to spend with their families and friends.

"We have listened to all parties responding in the latest consultation, and we have agreed a number of changes in the way the new holidays will be brought in."

The changes are intended to do the following:

• To encourage early implementation and simplify arrangements for good employers who decide to offer their workers the entitlement faster.

The regulations state that those companies who offer their workers 28 days leave or more by 1 October 2007 and meet certain other related standards will not be bound by the new legislation, so long as they continue to meet these standards.

• As a transitional measure, companies will be allowed to continue to buy out the additional leave entitlement (the four extra days) introduced from October 2007 until 1st April 2009.

• After 1st April 2009 the buyout of any of the additional leave entitlement will cease.

• All part-time workers will be entitled to the extra holidays pro-rata.

• The DTI will set up an online calculator to make it simpler for everybody to work out their new holiday entitlement

Numbers affected:

2.6 million part-time staff (31% of part-timers) will benefit, and 3.4 million full-time workers (14% of full-timers)

Agegroups:

16-24: 1 million
25-34: 1.4 million
35-44: 1.6 million
45-49: 0.5 million
50+: 1.5 million