Are you tired of feeling like you need a vacation just to recover from planning your time off? Fear not, because you’ve stumbled upon the holy grail of holiday hacks! We’ve cracked the code to ensure you can savour extended breaks without burning through all your annual leave – because life’s too short for a mediocre getaway.
Whether you’re daydreaming about sandy shores, country escapes, or urban adventures, we’ve got the insider scoop on how to outsmart the work calendar and maximize your time off without breaking a sweat. Say goodbye to the days of frantically counting your remaining leave hours and hello to a world where every holiday request is a piece of cake.
Assuming you’re blessed with 26 glorious days of leave, bank holidays are the cherry on top, and weekends are your sacred work-free zones, we’ve mapped out a plan for you to relish a whopping 55 days away from the grind. Grab that trusty diary, and let’s make some magic happen. Unlock the secret to scoring maximum time off with this genius annual leave booking strategy!
England and Wales
14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th of April
8 days annual leave
This year, Easter falls between the 18th and 21st April. The two bank holidays mean we’re all guaranteed a four-day weekend. But if you’re a clever cookie and book off the 14th-17th and 22nd-25th, you’ll secure yourself a whopping sixteen consecutive days off work in exchange for only eight days of annual leave. That’s more than two weeks away from the office!
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th of May
8 days annual leave
May is the prime month to book time off since there are two bank holidays and it’s on the cusp of summer before the price of everything has skyrocketed. Take four days’ holiday alongside both of the public bank holidays to fit in a total of nine days off – twice over! You’ll have a lengthy break at the start of May then again at the end, with only 2 weeks of work between- doesn’t sound too bad does it?
26th, 27th, 28th, 29th of August
4 days annual leave
Looking to squeeze in a bit more time off whilst the sun’s still got his hat on? The summer bank holiday on the 25th of August is the time to do it. By taking annual leave from 26th-29th August you’ll have nine days off in total. And you’re going to need it as, after August, there isn’t another bank holiday until Christmas!
22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th, 31st of December
6 days annual leave
In 2025 Christmas Day falls on a Thursday and Boxing Day on a Friday. Strategically booking your time off around the bank holidays will get you a whopping 13 days off for only 6 days of annual leave, if you include New Year’s Day 2026.
Need the holiday hacks to fit with the Scottish public holidays? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Check out the dates for Scotland below.
Scotland
14th, 15th, 16th, 17th of April
4 days annual leave
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th of May
4 days annual leave
5th, 6th, 7th, 8th of August
4 days annual leave
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, 30th, 31st of December
10 days annual leave
