What are my holiday rights as an employed carer?

Everyone needs a holiday. Paid carers work in very demanding roles - so you definitely need to take a break now an again. But you need to know what you're legally entitled to from your employer.You are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave. This equals 28 days per year for someone who works a five-day week; this includes the eight Bank Holidays per year. Part-time workers are entitled to the same level of annual leave, but in proportion to the level you work (often called 'pro rata') - this would be 5.6 times your normal working week.

Example: If you worked two days a week for your employer, then you would be entitled to 5.6 x 2 giving you a annual leave entitlement of 11.2 days. Annual leave should be rounded up to the nearest half day, so you would have 11.5 days including the Bank Holiday allowance.

You will start to build up ('accrue') your entitlement as soon as you start working for your new employer, and you will need to follow their rules regarding how you should request holiday and what notice you should give. This information should also be contained within your contract of employment.[ADS]You employer is able to refuse holiday if they are unable to accommodate it, but another date will usually be agreed with you as soon as possible.Holiday will be paid at the normal rate of pay, and should be paid at the time it is taken. It cannot be included within your hourly rate.

Bank Holidays

Your employer may request that you work bank holidays within your contract of employment; this will mean that you will then have that day's leave entitlement to take at another point in the year.If you do not normally work the day on which a Bank Holiday falls, then you will still be entitled to the Bank Holiday element of your entitlement and will be free to take it at any time throughout your normal working week.If employees are not required to work Bank Holidays, then an employee who works on a day when a Bank Holiday falls will automatically have that day deducted from their holiday entitlement.