Guides › Work and Employment › Holiday Pay When You Leave a Job
Holiday Pay When You Leave A Job
When you leave, your employer must pay you for any statutory holiday you built up but did not take. This is the only time statutory holiday can be paid instead of taken, and it applies even if you were dismissed for gross misconduct. If you took more holiday than you had built up, your employer can only take the difference from your final pay if you agreed to that in writing beforehand.
At A Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
The Rules
Payment in Lieu
The only time you can be paid instead of taking statutory leave is when you leave. Employers must pay for untaken statutory leave even if you are dismissed for gross misconduct. source
Using It Up in Your Notice
You may be able to use up remaining leave during your notice period. source
Extra Holiday
Holiday above the statutory minimum is paid according to your contract. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 6 monthsTribunal time limit (minus 1 day)If pay was due on or after 1 October 2026
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 4
Work out the holiday you built up in this leave year and how much you took.
Step 2 of 4
Check your final payslip for the holiday payment.
Step 3 of 4
Write to your old employer if it is missing or wrong.
Step 4 of 4
Tell Acas and claim at a tribunal if they still do not pay.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Acas Helpline
Free and confidential. 0300 123 1100, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
Acas Early Conciliation
You must tell Acas before you make most tribunal claims. It is free.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Rules here are for England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own employment law, the Labour Relations Agency and industrial tribunals; see nidirect.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 15 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/taking-holiday-before-leaving-a-job Checked 15 October 2026
- acas.org.uk/final-pay-when-someone-leaves-a-job/how-holidays-affect-final-pay Checked 15 October 2026
- acas.org.uk/contact Checked 8 October 2026
- acas.org.uk/early-conciliation/how-early-conciliation-works Checked 8 October 2026