WORKERS can use a little-known hack to bag extra long breaks from the office this year.
Taking a holiday and break from work is essential to relax and refresh.
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Many people use time off to travel and soak up the culture of a different country.
But with funds stretched by the cost of living crisis, even staying at home can offer well-needed time to unwind.
However you choose to spend it, making the most of your holiday allowance means you can get longer chunks of rest.
In fact, you can get up to 28 days of holiday for the remainder of 2023 with just 11 days of annual leave.
You just need to be a little clever with when you book time off – and use the Bank Holiday weekends, plus Christmas to boost your holiday allowance.
It comes after Britain had an extra Bank Holiday this year to celebrate the King Charles coronation.
This additional holiday fell on May 8 bringing the total number of Bank Holidays in 2023 to nine, compared to the usual eight.
Here’s what you need to do now…
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May Bank Holiday
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off
The May Bank Holiday in 2023 falls on Monday, May 29.
Planning your holiday around this break means you can take a nine-day holiday by using four days of annual leave.
To make it work you need to book off four days off work from Tuesday, May 30, through to Friday, June 2.
You can then put your out of office on from from Saturday, May 27 until Monday, June 5.
August Bank Holiday
- Book four days of holiday and get nine days off
There’s another Bank Holiday at the end of summer on Monday, August 28.
This means you can take four days off on August 29, 30, 31 and September 1.
Doing this bags another nine days off in a row from Saturday, August 6 and then back at work on Monday, September 4.
Christmas
- Book three days of holiday and get ten days off
The festive season has another two Bank Holidays .
Christmas Day this year falls on Monday, December 25 giving the first Bank Holiday, Boxing Day on Tuesday, December 26, means another one.
Book the following three days off, December 27, 28 and 29, and you can end the year with a ten-day break from work as Monday, January 1, is also a holiday.
A long break at this time of year is the perfect way to enjoy the festive season with friends and family without worrying about work issues.
Easter 2024
- Book four days of holiday and get ten days off
Easter has passed this year, but each year it’s another good opportunity to maximise holiday allowance as there are two Bank Holidays.
Next year, the Good Friday Bank Holiday is March 29 and the Easter Monday on April 1.
You will be able to get a ten day stretch off work, including the weekend with just four days of annual leave.
It’s worth setting a calendar reminder for when you’re able to book holidays for next year to get in early with this one.
What are my rights to time off?
To make the most of the holiday hack, you’ll need to have the leave approved by your boss.
Employees working a five-day week must get at least 28 days’ paid annual leave a year – the equivalent of 5.6 weeks of holiday.
But employers don’t have to grant requests for specific dates.
Time off often depends on how many other employees plan to take time off at the same time– so getting in early to make a request can make a difference.
Make sure you get the time off approved before you pay for plans that you may not be able to go on.
Finally, tackle any critical tasks before you switch on your out of office and make sure your usual contacts know you’ll be away, so you can switch off and relax.
