Guides · Updated for 2026/27

WorkCalc UK Blog

Plain-English guides to UK pay, tax, holiday and leaving a job. Every guide uses worked examples with 2026/27 figures and links to a calculator so you can check your own numbers.

UK three-day week 2027: bank holidays on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December leave only Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 December as working days, so booking 3 days gives 10 days off

Guides · 9 min read

UK Three-Day Week 2027: Dates and How to Get 10 Days Off

Christmas 2027 falls on a weekend, so the bank holidays move to 27 and 28 December, leaving a three-day working week. Dates for every UK nation, how to get 10 days off for 3 days of leave, and the three-day…

Is redundancy pay taxable: redundancy pay up to £30,000 is tax-free with no National Insurance, pay above £30,000 has income tax but no employee NI, and notice pay and holiday pay are taxed like normal pay

Guides · 8 min read

Is Redundancy Pay Taxable? The £30,000 Rule Explained

Redundancy pay is tax-free up to £30,000, but notice pay, holiday pay and anything above £30,000 are taxed. Worked examples, 2026/27 statutory…

Is salary sacrifice worth it: £100 into your pension costs £72 through salary sacrifice at basic rate against £80 normally, £58 against £60 at higher rate, and £38 against £40 between £100,000 and £125,000

Guides · 8 min read

Is Salary Sacrifice Worth It? Savings, Catches and Who Gains Most

Salary sacrifice saves income tax and National Insurance, so £100 into your pension can cost as little as £38. Who gains most,…

5.6 weeks holiday explained: 4 weeks (20 days) from the Working Time Directive plus 1.6 weeks (8 days) added by the UK, making 28 days for a 5-day week

Guides · 7 min read

5.6 Weeks Holiday Explained: Where It Comes From and What It Means

The UK statutory holiday minimum is 5.6 weeks: 4 weeks plus 1.6 weeks. How it converts into days and hours, the 28-day…

Does 28 days holiday include bank holidays: 28 days on a 5-day week shown as 20 days you choose plus 8 bank holidays, or 28 days to choose if bank holidays are on top

Guides · 8 min read

Does 28 Days Holiday Include Bank Holidays?

Employers can count bank holidays in the 28-day statutory minimum. What your contract wording means, 2026 bank holiday dates, pay for working…

What does pro rata mean: a part-time worker on 3 of 5 days gets 60% of a £30,000 salary, £18,000, and 16.8 of 28 days holiday

Guides · 8 min read

What Does Pro Rata Mean? A Plain-English UK Guide

Pro rata means in proportion. What a pro rata salary means in a job advert, how to calculate pro rata pay and…