UK employees who fall ill during their annual leave may be entitled to reclaim those days and use them at a later date, according to employment law and HR specialist Amy Stokes. In a video shared online, Stokes explained that workers can request to switch their holiday leave to sick leave, provided the illness would normally prevent them from working.
Under UK law, full-time employees are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave, including bank holidays. Many contracts offer between 28 and 34 days. If a worker becomes sick during a pre-booked holiday, they cannot legally be on both annual leave and sick leave simultaneously. Therefore, they have the right to convert the affected days to sick leave and have their annual leave reinstated for future use.
Key conditions for reclaiming annual leave
Stokes clarified that the illness must be one that would ordinarily result in sick leave from work. For example, a broken leg might not qualify for an office worker who could still perform their duties from a desk. The rule applies to statutory annual leave entitlements; contractual days beyond the legal minimum are subject to individual company policy.
She noted that some employees may choose not to reclaim their leave if statutory sick pay (SSP) is lower than their normal holiday pay. In such cases, keeping the days as annual leave may be financially better. Currently, SSP is £116.75 per week (as of 2025/26), which is often less than average weekly earnings.
How to convert annual leave to sick leave
Employees should follow their company's standard sickness reporting procedure, usually requiring a phone call to their manager on the first day of illness. Delaying the report until after recovery may weaken the claim. While self-certification is normally allowed for the first seven days, employers can require a doctor's note or medical certificate when converting pre-booked holiday to sick leave.
If the reinstated annual leave cannot be taken before the end of the holiday year due to illness, workers are legally entitled to carry over up to four weeks of unused statutory holiday into the next leave year. Employees should always check their workplace policies for precise details, as contractual terms may vary.
