Holiday hacks: How to maximise your annual leave in 2026

If you want to make your annual leave go further in 2026, here's how to turn your leave into longer breaks without using up all of your allowance.

Full list of UK bank holidays in 2026 (England & Wales)

You can make the most of your annual leave by strategically booking leave around the bank holidays. 

Scotland and Northern Ireland have additional public holidays worth factoring in if you work across different UK nations or travel between them.

How to get the most time off using annual leave in 2026

According to our research, 81%* of Brits are already planning their 2026 holidays, and August is one of the most popular months to travel.

Here’s how you can stretch your annual leave by combining it with bank holidays and weekends:

New Year’s break

• Bank holiday: Thu 1 Jan 2026
• Book off: Fri 2 Jan 2026
• You get: 4 days off (Thu–Sun) using 1 day’s leave

Easter break

• Bank holidays: Fri 3 Apr and Mon 6 Apr

• Option 1: Book Tues 7 April to Fri 10 April and get 10 consecutive days off (Fri 3 April to Sun 12 April) using 4 days’ annual leave.

• Option 2 (maximum time off): Book Mon 30 March to Thurs 2 April, and Tues 7 April to Fri  10 April. This uses 8 days’ annual leave and gives you 16 consecutive days off, from Sat 28 March to Sun 12 April.

Early May break

• Bank holiday: Mon 4 May
• Book off: Tue–Fri (5–8 May)
• You get: 9 days off using 4 days’ leave

Late May

• Bank holiday: Mon 25 May
• Book off: Tue–Fri (26–29 May)
• You get: 9 days off using 4 days’ leave

Summer bank holiday

• Bank holiday: Mon 31 Aug
• Book off: Tue–Fri (1–4 Sep)
• You get: 9 days off using 4 days’ leave

Christmas and New Year

• Bank holidays: Fri 25 Dec + Mon 28 Dec (substitute day)

• By booking annual leave around the Christmas and New Year bank holidays, you can get up to 16 consecutive days off, depending on how your employer treats the days between Christmas and New Year.

• Exact time off will vary based on workplace closures and how many leave days you choose to book, so it’s worth checking your company’s holiday policy before confirming dates.

Why you should book your annual leave early

Most people want the same days off, especially around school holidays and festive breaks. More than 1 in 5 (22%)* of UK holiday-goers say they book their holidays in January so they’ve got something to look forward to.

Booking leave early helps you:

• Avoid clashes with your team
• Secure cheaper flights and hotels
• Get first pick for bank holiday breaks

What if I’ve used up my annual leave?

Check if your employer offers any of the following:

• Buying extra leave - many companies let you trade salary for extra days off
• ‘Work from anywhere’ days - remote working abroad can help extend your time away
• Carry over leave - some companies let you carry over unused days into next year

Always confirm what’s allowed with HR or your manger before making plans - especially if you’re travelling with work equipment that might not be covered under your insurance.

Extra tips to make your holiday budget go further

• Travel off-peak: Flying mid-week or outside of school holidays can cut costs
• Mix short breaks with big trips: Use long weekends for quick getaways and save longer leave for Christmas or summer
• Buy travel insurance when you book your trip: So you're covered from the moment you pay for flights or hotels

What our travel insurance expert says

“Planning your leave early gives you more control over your calendar and your costs. The earlier you book, the better your choice of dates, prices and destinations. And don’t forget to check if your company offers extras like work-from-anywhere days or birthday leave - they can help stretch your time away. Once your leave is booked, the only thing left to do is plan where you’re going next."

Tom Vaughan Travel insurance expert

^{*Unless otherwise stated, research was carried out by One Poll on behalf of Confused.com of 2,000 UK adults with a passport between 16 and 18 December 2025}

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