Reviewed for UK readers: September 2026.
NHS Agenda for Change annual leave is based on length of reckonable service and is adjusted for part-time staff. NHS Employers states that full-time staff receive 27 days on appointment, 29 days after five years and 33 days after ten years, with eight general public holidays under the national terms. Part-time entitlements are pro rata. For salary rather than leave, use our pro rata salary calculator.
Because NHS rosters can include shifts of different lengths, trusts commonly express part-time leave in hours rather than simply counting days.
Quick answer
- On appointment: 27 days annual leave plus public-holiday entitlement for full time.
- After 5 years: 29 days plus public holidays.
- After 10 years: 33 days plus public holidays.
- Part-time entitlement is pro rata; local roster rules affect how hours are booked.
Convert the full-time entitlement to hours
If the standard full-time working week is 37.5 hours across five equal days, one notional day is 7.5 hours. A full-time 27-day annual leave allowance is therefore 202.5 hours before public-holiday entitlement. A 0.6 FTE employee’s equivalent is 121.5 hours.
Add public-holiday entitlement correctly
Agenda for Change terms normally provide eight general public holidays in a twelve-month period, with part-time entitlement pro rata. If eight days equal 60 hours for a 37.5-hour full-time pattern, a 0.6 FTE equivalent is 36 hours.
Example for a 22.5-hour employee
A 22.5-hour contract against 37.5 full time is 0.6 FTE. On the 27-day annual leave tier, 202.5 full-time annual leave hours × 0.6 = 121.5 hours. The separate public-holiday equivalent of 60 hours × 0.6 = 36 hours gives 157.5 hours combined, before any local adjustments or contractual nuances.
Length of service matters
When an employee reaches the relevant service milestone, the full-time leave tier increases. The trust’s ESR or HR system should apply the appropriate pro rata entitlement, but staff can independently check the arithmetic using the FTE fraction.
Rostered shifts and public holidays
NHS services operate every day, so staff can be required to work on public holidays. The national terms and local rostering arrangements determine how the entitlement is recorded and taken at another time.
Check the result against ESR and your trust
NHS calculations should be cross-checked against your ESR record, contract and local trust guidance. The national Agenda for Change framework supplies the core pay and leave structure, but individual payslips can also include enhancements, overtime, salary sacrifice, pension deductions or local roster effects.
If the FTE, contracted hours or reckonable service shown by your employer is wrong, the arithmetic can be perfectly correct and still produce the wrong entitlement. Verify those inputs first.
Use the calculator
For a quick gross salary estimate, use the Pro Rata Calculator UK. Enter the full-time salary and your hours, days or FTE, then compare the result with your contract or payroll figure.
Other NHS and care pay: NHS pro rata calculator · NHS pay bands · nurses · NHS pro rata salary · unsocial hours · London weighting · bank staff · NHS pension · midwives · healthcare assistants · paramedics · GP receptionists · care workers · dental nurses · veterinary nurses
Frequently asked questions
How much annual leave does a part-time NHS employee get?
The full-time Agenda for Change entitlement is adjusted pro rata to the employee’s contracted hours/FTE and length of service.
Do NHS part-time staff get bank holidays?
Agenda for Change public-holiday entitlement is also pro rata for part-time staff.
Why is my NHS leave shown in hours?
Hours allow trusts to manage staff who work different shift lengths more accurately.
Does previous NHS service count?
Reckonable service rules can affect the leave tier. Check your trust record and national terms if previous service should count.
Authoritative sources
This article is general information, not personalised legal, tax or payroll advice. Employment contracts, collective agreements and individual circumstances can change the correct result.