How to maximise annual leave in 2026

With a bit of planning, you can stretch your annual leave further next year and give yourself the kind of downtime that actually helps you reset.

Every January begins with the same promise: this year, I’ll take more meaningful breaks. But annual leave has a habit of slipping through the cracks if you don’t plan ahead. The trick isn’t waiting until spring to think about time off, it’s lining up your leave now and letting the calendar do some of the heavy lifting for you.

By pairing annual leave with bank holidays, you can turn long weekends into genuine holidays and scattered midweek days into real breathing room without hoarding annual leave, failing to communicate your plans clearly or making things tricky for the rest of your team. 

Whether you want a low-stress staycation, a long family visit or simply time to switch off without watching the clock, these small planning moves make a big difference. Below are the 2026 bank holidays for England and Wales and the smartest ways to stretch each one.

(If you’re in Scotland or Northern Ireland, check your local dates too.)

Ease into January

Days to look out for:

• Thursday 1 January (New Year’s Day)

How to hack it:

Book Friday 2 January for a four day start to the year. Instead of snapping straight back into work mode, you get space to reset, clear your head and ease in at a human pace.

Make Easter work overtime

Days to look out for:

• Friday 3 April (Good Friday)
• Monday 6 April (Easter Monday)

How to hack it:

Book 6-9 April and enjoy 10 days off for four days of leave. Two long weekends with a full week in between gives you proper rest, not rushed recovery. It’s one of the most generous leave combinations of the year.

Double up in May

Early May

Days to look out for:

• Monday 4 May

How to hack it:
Book 5-8 May and unlock nine days off for four days of holiday. Early May hits the sweet spot: longer days, kinder weather and calmer travel before summer crowds.

Late May

Days to look out for:

• Monday 25 May

How to hack it:

Book 26-29 May and get another nine-day stretch. Take one May hack or take both and turn spring into a double-reset month.

Enjoy the last of summer

Days to look out for:

• Monday 31 August

How to hack it:

Book 1-4 September to get nine days off for four. Late summer breaks have their own magic. Fewer crowds, warmer evenings, lower travel prices and one last hit of sunshine before autumn routines return.

End the year on your terms

Days to look out for:

• Friday 25 December (Christmas Day)
• Monday 28 December (Boxing Day substitute)

How to hack it:

Book 22-24 December and 29-31 December for sixteen days off using six days of leave. Instead of diving from deadlines into festive chaos, you glide into the break and start January already rested.

Why it works

Holiday hacking isn’t about squeezing the rules. It’s about treating rest as fuel, not an afterthought. When time off is planned with intention, it supports better energy, clearer thinking and a healthier work rhythm all year long– just remember to clear it with your line manager first, and don’t submit requests at the last minute. 

Open your calendar, claim your days and give yourself the margin you deserve. Your future self will thank you for it.