On your mark, get set, apply!
It may only be the first day of 2023, but it’s probably a safe bet so say that many Brits woke this morning feeling like they need a holiday – already.
Sooner the better. Longer; better still.
After days on the couch, punctuated only by pints and pudding, January 1 seldom leaves us as refreshed as we’d hoped when we clocked off work before Christmas.
Oh, well, maybe this year.
The good news is there’s a hack to maximise your holidays this year. And if you play it right, you’ll barely be behind your desk – or wherever you position yourself to fulfill your duties – for very long between days off.
There’s also some new bank holidays to keep us off work longer, including the extra day off for King Charles III’s coronation in May.
By taking leave around these key dates, Brits can get a lot of time off for a lot less annual leave.
So, when are the bank holiday this year?
Monday, January 2: New Year’s Day Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Tuesday, January 3: Second Day of January Includes Scotland only
Friday, March 17: St Patrick’s Day Includes Northern Ireland only
Friday, April 7: Good Friday Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Monday, April 10: Easter Monday Includes England, Wales and Northern Ireland only
Monday, May 1: Early May Bank Holiday Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Monday, May 8: King Charles III Coronation Bank Holiday Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Monday, May 29: Spring Bank Holiday Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Wednesday, July 12: Battle of the Boyne Includes Northern Ireland only
Monday, August 7: Summer Bank Holiday Includes Scotland only
Monday, August 28: Summer Bank Holiday Includes England, Wales and Northern Ireland only
Thursday, November 30: St Andrew’s Day Includes Scotland only
Monday, December 25: Christmas Day Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Tuesday, December 26: Boxing Day Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Using just 19 days of leave, Brits can get 47 days off.
According to calculations from Unearth PR – via Metro – workers need to take chunks of three or four days off around the bank holidays to get the most time off using the least amount of days.
Own April
Taking four days off prior to Good Friday and Easter Monday returns a 10-day stretch.
Days to apply to take off now, are: Monday, April 3 Tuesday, April 4 Wednesday, April 5 Thursday, April 6.
Mayday, Mayday, I need a holiday!
Taking these four days off after the Early May Bank Holiday will give you nine days to doze back off.
Days to apply to take off now, are: Tuesday, May 2 Wednesday, May 3 Thursday, May 4 Friday, May 5.
Maybe stretch it out into June
Having two days off at the end of May, after the Spring Bank Holiday, and another two at the start of June will give you nine consecutive days off.
Days to apply to take off now, are: Tuesday, May 30 Wednesday, May 31 Thursday, June 1 Friday, June 2.
August and September when the weather is better
For another nine-day stretch, apply for four days off after the August Bank Holiday.
Days to apply to take off now, are: Tuesday, August 29 Wednesday, August 30 Thursday, August 31 Friday, September 1.
The Christmas stretch
Three days of leave after Boxing Day, returns a 10 day buffet of binge eating and viewing.
Days to apply to take off now, are: Wednesday, December 27, Thursday, December 28 Friday, December 29.
Chances are you aren’t the only one reading this article, so best you can those leave applications in sharpish.
Charles’ Coronation is a nice place to start – Royal fan or not. Snap up Tuesday, May 2 to Friday, May 5 as annual leave and you’ll have nine days off and also incorporate the Early May Bank Holiday.
Another boss move is booking Tuesday, May 30 to Friday, June 2 off. This stretch comes after the Spring Bank Holiday, meaning you’ll get that Monday off anyway – and two weekends on either side. That’s nine days off.
Best of luck.
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