Now that we’re all begrudgingly back to work after the festive season, many of us are already looking forward to our next break.
Thanks to King Charles III’s coronation, we’ve also bagged an extra bank holiday in 2023 – hooray for more time off.
However, if you’re looking to maximise your time off in 2023, by booking annual leave cleverly around this year’s national holidays, you could end up with 48 days off for the price of 19.
Yes really – there is an annual leave booking hack that is super simple to follow and seriously pays off.
The trick works for people in England and Wales who work Monday to Friday – here’s how to do it for yourself.
First things first, here’s when 2023′s bank holidays are:
UK’s Bank Holidays 2023
Monday January 2 – New Year’s Day
Friday April 7 – Good Friday
Monday April 10 – Easter Monday
Monday May 1 – Early May bank holiday
Monday May 8 – King’s Coronation bank holiday
Monday May 29 – Spring bank holiday
Monday August 28 – Summer bank holiday
Monday December 25 – Christmas Day
Tuesday December 26 – Boxing Day
Which dates to book annual leave on in 2023
Easter
Actual days away from work: 10 (April 1-10)
Annual leave days booked: 4
10 days off for the price of four? We’ll take it.
First, book the four days off in the run up to Good Friday’s Bank Holiday.
You’ll get two days of a weekend off, four days of annual leave off that you’ve booked, followed by a four day weekend thanks to Good Friday and Easter Monday.
Early May Bank Holiday/King Charles’ Coronation
Actual days away from work: 10 (April 29-May 8)
Annual leave days booked: 4
Using the same format as Easter, book four days off between May 2 and 5. You’ll have the weekend off before the Early Bank Holiday, the four days of annual leave and then a three day weekend – voila, ten days off for the price of four.
End of May/June
Actual days away from work: 9 (May 27-June 4)
Annual leave days booked: 4
A third Bank Holiday in May lands on Monday 29. By booking off May 30 and 31 alongside June 1 and 2, you’ll enjoy the weekend off before and enjoy nine days off using four days leave.
August
Actual days away from work: 9 (August 26-September 3)
Annual leave days booked: 4
Using the same format of booking annual leave as you did for the end of May, add four days of annual leave after August’s Bank Holiday and you’ll get yourself another nine day break.
Christmas
Actual days away from work: 10 (December 23-January 1)
Annual leave days booked: 3
Yup, a whole 10 days off in a row for the sake of booking three days of annual leave – a Christmas miracle some would say.
It’s all thanks to when Christmas lands this year. Christmas Day 2023 is a Monday with Boxing Day landing on a Tuesday. January 1 rolls in on a Monday as well – giving us loads of opportunities to be smart with annual leave.
By booking Wednesday December 27 to Friday December 29 off work, you’ll enjoy a straight run of ten days off work all the way from Saturday December 23 until Monday January 1.
