Holiday Hacks: How to Maximise Your Annual Leave in 2025 (Without Annoying Your Colleagues)

Got 20 days of annual leave but dreaming of an extended holiday escape? You’re not alone. We all want to make the most of our days off, but there’s nothing worse than being that person who always books the prime holiday dates, leaving that colleague to cover your shifts. Luckily, we’ve cracked the code to not only maximise your time off but also ensure your colleague can do the same.

Here’s how you (and your favourite colleague ❤️) can master the art of fair and fabulous holiday planning in 2025.

🐣 Easter Holiday 2025

Let’s not forget about Easter, the ultimate opportunity to bag some extended time off without burning through your leave balance. Here’s the breakdown:

Bank holidays:

• Good Friday: Friday, 18 April

• Easter Monday: Monday, 21 April

You: Take off Tuesday, 22 April – Friday, 25 April (4 days booked). Time off: 10 days (Saturday, 19 April – Sunday, 28 April).

Your colleague: Take off Monday, 15 April – Thursday, 18 April (4 days booked). Time off: 9 days (Saturday, 13 April – Sunday, 21 April).

Your remaining leave: 16 days.

🌷 Late May Bank Holiday 2025

Keep the spring vibes going into late May:

• Bank holiday: Monday, 26 May.

You: Take off Tuesday, 27 May – Friday, 30 May (4 days booked). Time off: 9 days (Saturday, 24 May – Sunday, 1 June).

Your colleague: Take off Tuesday, 20 May – Friday, 23 May (4 days booked). Time off: 9 days (Saturday, 17 May – Sunday, 25 May).

Your remaining leave: 12 days.

☀️ Summer Bank Holiday 2025

Summer’s calling! Book smart to enjoy a long stretch of sunshine:

• Bank holiday: Monday, 25 August.

You: Take off Tuesday, 26 August – Friday, 29 August (4 days booked). Time off: 9 days (Saturday, 23 August – Sunday, 31 August).

Your colleague: Take off Tuesday, 19 August – Friday, 22 August (4 days booked). Time off: 9 days (Saturday, 16 August – Sunday, 24 August).

Your remaining leave: 8 days.

⛄️ Christmas & New Year 2025/2026

Finish the year strong with an epic holiday season:

• Bank holidays:

Christmas Day: Thursday, 25 December

Boxing Day (Substitute): Friday, 26 December

New Year’s Day: Thursday, 1 January 2026

You: Take off Monday, 22 December – Wednesday, 24 December and Monday, 29 December – Wednesday, 31 December (6 days booked). Time off: 16 days (Saturday, 20 December – Sunday, 4 January).

Your colleague: Take off Monday, 15 December – Friday, 19 December and Monday, 5 January – Wednesday, 7 January 2026 (6 days booked). Time off: 15 days (Saturday, 13 December – Sunday, 21 December and Saturday, 3 January – Wednesday, 7 January).

Your remaining leave: 2 days.

Total Time Off

You: 44 days off across the year.

Your colleague: 42 days off across the year.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Maximising your annual leave doesn’t mean leaving your colleagues stuck covering all the shifts. With a little planning and communication, you can both enjoy extended holidays without any hard feelings. After all, a happy team makes for a happier workplace – and even better holidays!