UK Bank holidays 2024 and how to get 10 days off at Christmas

With Christmas approaching, many of us will be running low on annual leave but will be keen to secure a nice break with the family over the festive season.

Taking clever advantage of the Christmas Bank Holidays, you can enjoy extra work-free time by only using three days of annual leave.

This holiday hack applies to UK workers entitled to bank holidays as part of their employment contract and who normally work Monday-Friday. 

Zoe Morris, of Nigel Frank, a Tenth Revolution Group company, said: “Taking prolonged spells away from work using holiday hacks presents the opportunity for employees to recharge their batteries throughout the year without using up as much of their annual allowance.

“Employers should do more to encourage a healthier balance. Simple acts such as sending out an e-mail reminder for employees to use their annual leave, or having managers openly discuss the benefits of using holidays, even if it’s just to spend some time at home relaxing, can go a long way towards achieving this, as it communicates to employees that your business values their wellbeing.”

How to get 10 days off with 3 days of leave this Christmas

This is how you can get up to ten days off over Christmas while only using three days of annual leave next month.

If you book off December 27, December 28 and December 29, you will be able to enjoy ten consecutive days away from the office.

Finishing for work on December 22, you will then be off for the weekend and the two Christmas bank holidays on Monday and Tuesday.

After booking the rest of the week off, you won’t be back in the office until Tuesday, January 2.