Annual Leave Maximiser
Make your holiday allowance go further. By booking the right days around UK bank holidays, a few days off turn into long breaks. Here are the best upcoming opportunities (England & Wales).
August Bank Holiday 2026
4 → 9 daysChristmas & New Year 2026/27
3 → 10 daysEaster 2027
4 → 10 daysEarly May Bank Holiday 2027
4 → 9 daysSpring Bank Holiday 2027
4 → 9 daysAugust Bank Holiday 2027
4 → 9 daysBased on England & Wales bank holidays (Scotland and Northern Ireland differ). Dates are from gov.uk. Book early — everyone wants the same days, and your holiday year and approval rules still apply.
How to make your annual leave go further
Bank holidays are free days off — and if you book your own annual leave cleverly around them, you can turn a handful of days into a week or more away. This tool shows the best upcoming opportunities for England and Wales: which working days to book, and how many days off in a row you'll get as a result.
The biggest win is usually Christmas: booking the two or three working days between Christmas and New Year can give you ten days off in a row for just three days of leave. Bank-holiday Mondays are great too — book the rest of that week and a single bank holiday stretches your weekend into a nine-day break.
Dates are taken from gov.uk and the tool only shows opportunities still to come. Book early, because everyone's after the same days — and your workplace's holiday year and approval rules still apply.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the most time off using bank holidays?⌄
Book the working days that sit between a bank holiday and the nearest weekend. Around a bank-holiday Monday, booking the other four days of that week turns it into a nine-day break for four days of leave.
What's the best time to maximise annual leave?⌄
Christmas and New Year usually give the best ratio — around ten days off for three days booked — because several bank holidays fall close together.
Do these dates apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland?⌄
This tool uses England & Wales bank holidays. Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different dates, so check gov.uk if you're there.
Will my employer definitely approve these days?⌄
Not automatically — popular dates get booked up fast and normal approval rules apply. Get your request in early to beat the rush.
Where do the dates come from?⌄
The bank holiday dates are from gov.uk, and each suggestion is worked out from those official dates.