Holiday Pay Request — Zero Hours Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to assert your right to holiday pay on a zero hours contract, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong holiday pay request — zero hours should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Confirm entitlement to 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year under the Working Time Regulations 1998
• Note this right applies regardless of having fixed hours
• Request payment of outstanding holiday pay calculated on average earnings over the previous 52 weeks
• Give a deadline for response

Your right to holiday pay on a zero-hours contract

Zero-hours workers are entitled to statutory holiday pay in exactly the same way as any other worker — 5.6 weeks per year, calculated proportionately based on actual hours worked given the variable nature of the role. The absence of fixed hours doesn't reduce or remove this entitlement.

What to include before you send it

• Confirmation of your zero-hours status and working pattern
• Your calculation of holiday pay owed, based on actual hours and earnings
• The specific period you're claiming for
• A request for payment of any shortfall identified

How holiday pay should be calculated for irregular hours

For workers without fixed hours, holiday entitlement is generally calculated based on a percentage of hours worked in each pay period (commonly using the 12.07% method, reflecting 5.6 weeks against a 46.4-week working year), though the precise calculation method has evolved through case law and legislation, so it's worth confirming the current correct approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my employer simply say holiday pay is "built into" my hourly rate?
This practice — known as rolled-up holiday pay — was previously discouraged, though recent changes have permitted it in some circumstances for irregular hours workers provided it's calculated and displayed correctly and transparently.

How far back can I claim unpaid holiday pay?
Claims are generally subject to time limits, and gaps of more than a certain period between deductions can affect how far back you can claim — it's worth acting promptly once you identify a shortfall.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Name of Manager / Payroll]
[Job Title]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name],

Subject: Holiday pay on my zero-hours contract

I work for you on a zero-hours contract. Under [Great Britain: the Working Time Regulations 1998 / Northern Ireland: the Working Time Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016], I am entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year, worked out in proportion to the hours I work. Not having fixed hours does not change this.

[Great Britain, leave years starting on or after 1 April 2024: As an irregular hours worker, my holiday builds up at 12.07% of the hours I work in each pay period.]

From my payslips for [Start Date] to [End Date], I do not think I have been given or paid the right holiday. My calculation is that I am owed £[amount]. Holiday pay should be based on my average pay over the previous 52 weeks I was paid.

Please send me:
• the hours I worked in this period;
• how my holiday was calculated; and
• the holiday pay I have been paid.

Please pay any shortfall, and reply within 14 days.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]