Annual Leave & Hours of Work

Annual Leave Entitlement

The entitlement is 27 working days with the choice of dates left to the individual, subject to the approval of the Head of Department who will not unreasonably withhold consent

The normal holiday year runs from the 1st August to the 31st July

Public Holidays

There are normally 8 public holidays:

  • Summer Bank Holiday
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day
  • New Year's Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday
  • Early May Bank Holiday
  • Spring Bank Holiday

 

Customary Holidays 2024/2025

There are 7 customary holidays which are as follows in 2024/2025:

  • 5 days at Christmas - 23rd, 24th, 27th, 30th, and 31st of December

    The University will close on Friday the 20th of December 2024 and reopen on Monday the 6th of January 2025

  • The Thursday before good Friday - 17th of April 2025
  • The Tuesday after Easter Monday - 22nd of April 2025

 

Customary Holidays 2025/2026

There are 7 customary holidays which are as follows in 2025/2026:

  • 5 days at Christmas - 24th, 29th, 30th, and 31st of December, and the 2nd of January

    The University will close on Tuesday the 23rd of December 2025 and reopen on Monday the 5th of January 2026

  • The Thursday before good Friday - 2nd of April 2026
  • The Tuesday after Easter Monday - 7th of April 2026

 

How to calculate Holiday Entitlement:

 

Example 1: For staff holding a full-time contract for the entire University leave year (1 August to 31 July)

  • Multiply 27 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 195.75 hours for standard annual leave

  • Multiply 15 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 108.75 hours for Bank / Customary holidays

  • Total leave for year is 195.75 hours + 108.75 hours = *304.5 total leave entitlement

    * in 2023/24 there are 17 Bank/Customary holidays due to 2 additional days awarded by the University Executive board in December 2023 so total leave entitlement for this year alone is 319 hours)

 

Example 2: For staff holding a part time contract (i.e. less than 36.25 hours per week) for the entire University leave year (1 August to 31 July)

  • Multiply 27 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 195.75 hours for standard annual leave

  • Add 15 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 108.75 hours for Bank / Customary holidays

  • Total leave for year is 195.75 hours + 108.75 hours = *304.5 total leave entitlement

    * in 2023/24 there are 17 Bank/Customary holidays due to 2 additional days awarded by the University Executive board in December 2023 so total leave entitlement for this year alone is 319 hours)

  • Divide 304.5 total leave entitlement by 36.25 hours (full time working week) x part-time contracted weekly hours = total leave entitlement

    •  

    Example – if you're contracted hours are 20 hours per week

    Divide 304.5 total leave entitlement by 36.25 hours (full time working week) x 20 contracted weekly hours = 168 hours total leave entitlement

    * 2023/24 would be 319 hours divided by 36.25 x 20 = 176 hours)

 

Example 3: For staff holding a full time contract part of the University leave year

  • Multiply 27 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year

  • Divide 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year by 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year) and multiply by the number of calendar days in duration of your contract

  • Establish how many bank and customary holidays fall within the duration of your contract and multiply each day that qualifies x 7.25 (standard full time day) = hours for qualifying Bank / Customary holidays.

  • Total leave for year is your calculated hours + hours for qualifying Bank / Customary holiday = total leave entitlement

    •  

    Example – if your contract is from 1 August to 31 January 2024

    Divide 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year by 366 (as leap year) = 0.53 hours per day

    Multiply 0.53 hours per day by number of calendar days in duration of contract – 184 days = 97.52 hours for standard annual leave

    For each bank and customary holiday that falls within contract period add 7.25 hours (daily full time equivalent) e.g. 6 customary days at Christmas – 21*, 22, 27, 28, 29 December and 2 January 2024* and 4 Bank holidays – 28 August, 25 & 26 December and 1 January 2024

    * are 2 additional customary holidays awarded by the University Executive board for this leave year only

    Multiply 10 x 7.25 = 72.5 hours for Bank/Customary holidays falling with duration of your contract

    Total leave for period of contract is 97.52 hours + 72.5 hours = 170.02

     

Example 4: For staff holding a part time contract (i.e. less than 36.25 hours per week) for part of the University leave year

  • Multiply 27 days x 7.25 (standard full time day) = 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year

  • Divide 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year by 365 days (or 366 days in a leap year) and multiply by the number of calendar days in duration of your contract

  • Establish how many bank and customary holidays fall within the duration of your contract and multiply each day that qualifies x 7.25 (standard full time day) = hours for qualifying Bank / Customary holidays

  • Divide total leave entitlement and total Bank/Customary holiday entitlement by 36.25 hours (full time working week) x part-time contracted weekly hours = total leave entitlement

    • Example – if your contract is from 1 August to 31 January 2024 and is 20 hours per week

    Divide 195.75 hours for standard annual leave for a full year by 366 (as leap year) = 0.53 hours per day

    Multiply 0.53 hours per day by number of calendar days in duration of contract – 184 days = 97.52 hours for standard annual leave

    For each bank and customary holiday that falls within contract period add 7.25 hours (daily full time equivalent) e.g. 6 customary days at Christmas – 21*, 22, 27, 28, 29 December and 2 January 2024* and 4 Bank holidays – 28 August, 25 & 26 December and 1 January 2024

    * are 2 additional customary holidays awarded by the University Executive board for this leave year only

    Multiply 10 x 7.25 = 72.5 hours for Bank/Customary holidays falling with duration of your contract

    Divide total leave entitlement and total Bank/Customary holiday entitlement of 170.02 hours by 36.25 hours (full time working week) x 20 contracted weekly hours = 93.80 hours total leave entitlement

 

NOTE: iTrent will automatically deduct from your entitlement any hours that you work for days that a Company (Customary) days and Bank Holidays fall within your contract duration. Please ensure that your work pattern is correct at all times to ensure correct amount of hours deducted

 

Hours of Work

Grade 6 and below:

The standard working week for full-time staff is 36.25 hours (excluding meal breaks), normally between Monday and Friday, the actual attendance times to be agreed with the Head of College/School/Department

Grade 7 and above:

Because of the nature of the work, the University does not specify any terms and conditions relating to hours of work within the meaning of the Employment Rights Act 1996.  Hours shall be such as are necessary to carry out satisfactorily the duties associated with the post; and on average a normal weekly commitment will mean between 36.25 and 48 hours per week

Part-time Working within Academic, Managerial and Professional Terms and Conditions:

Current Academic, Managerial and Professional staff contracts of employment state that the precise hours of work are not specified generally, but shall be such as are necessary to carry out satisfactorily the duties associated with the post, and in line with the Working Time Directive. For full time members of staff the contract will stipulate hours between 36.25 and 48 per week

Where staff have been appointed to part-time roles, then this will be on the basis of a percentage of time e.g. as an 80% contract. This means they will work 80% of 36.25 – 48 hours per week rather than a fixed 29 hours per week. Another example would be a 0.5 FTE contract, this would mean the staff member works 50% of 36.25 – 48 hours per week i.e. between 18 – 22 hours per week rather than a fixed 18 hours. Staff are not entitled to accrue additional hours if on occasion they work more hours; the Flexitime Policy and any time off in lieu arrangement is only applicable to Support Staff i.e. staff members at grades 1 – 6