1.7 million missing out on paid holidays

30 July 2015

A staggering 6.4 percent of UK employees are missing out on their holiday entitlement.

In Northern Ireland and Wales the figures are as high as 9.5 percent and 7.6 percent respectively*.

The EU Working Time Directive, which Cameron is desperately keen to opt-out of, extended the right of a four weeks paid holiday to up to six million British workers.

The TUC is arguing that HM Revenue and Customs should enforce holiday, rather than leave it up to workers, who are often unaware of their entitlements, or deliberately kept in the dark by their employer. TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said;

“As people head off on their holidays, spare a thought for those still stuck at work with bad bosses who break the law by denying staff their full holiday”.

“Some employers deliberately stop staff from taking the leave and holiday pay they’re entitled to, whereas other workers lose out from poor management and failure to keep up with the law”.

“Workers should not be cheated out of their holidays through illegal and unfair practices by employers. We are in danger of seeing a burnout Britain where workers feel pressured to give up their holidays and increase their hours. Workers who are worried about not getting their holiday entitlements should join a union, so that their voice is heard and their interests are properly represented”.

“We are worried that David Cameron’s EU renegotiation may take away our statutory holiday entitlements by opting-out of the Working Time Directive. These figures on the number of people missing out on their holiday rights clearly show that the rules need to be strengthened rather than weakened further.”

*Figures come from TUC analysis of the Labour Force Survey (LFS).