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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To use up all my Annual Leave this year?

33 replies

2020hello · 12/10/2020 13:47

I'm not sure of I should carry some over or just take it all now? I will be getting busier with work so I probably should carry it over, but on the other hand I feel like I just want a break do some sorting around the house etc.

Will I regret it come next year though? What have you all done with your Annual Leave?

OP posts:
Lockheart · 12/10/2020 13:48

It's your annual leave, do what you like. Nothing unreasonable about it.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 12/10/2020 13:49

I don't have an option to carry mine over, its use it or lose so I always use it all.

Charleyhorses · 12/10/2020 14:12

I have 20 days left to take!
5 for Xmas rest I'm carrying over. Can do this for 2 years under the rules.
Tbf I was on unpaid leave from March to August! I might feel differently if I had worked through!

CMOTDibbler · 12/10/2020 14:15

We had to use it all this year - normally we can carry 60 hours over. And we had to take 3 weeks in defined weeks which weren't UK school holidays either which was really annoying

SparklyLeprechaun · 12/10/2020 14:18

I found this year exhausting, so much work, homeschooling, no holiday clubs for the kids - I need all the time off I can get and more, I'm not carrying anything over.

edwinbear · 12/10/2020 14:19

I've only taken 6.5 days this year, although have a week off next week and two weeks over Christmas. I'll be carrying over 15 days to next year. It's felt like a waste to take holiday to just sit in the house, but each to their own!

RonaRossi · 12/10/2020 14:19

We’ve all been encouraged to carry a week over to next year (usually not an option) because we’re swamped.

I politely declined and I’ve booked up all my AL for this year, every last minute.

We’ve barely had chance to draw breath this year we’ve been so busy and I’ve needed the time this year not next or I’d have burnt out.

daisypond · 12/10/2020 14:21

We’re not allowed to carry leave over. Use it or lose it. We were specifically told not to hold any back to later in the year in case restrictions eased and people could go on holiday, because the company can’t let lots of people off at the same time.

FatBottomedGurl · 12/10/2020 14:30

If you haven't managed to use all of this years' leave, why do you think next year is going to be so different that you will need all your leave + 15 days carried over? Surely the mantra of "saving it for next year" has to end some time or you are just perpetually doing yourself out of well-deserved rest. Or am I missing something? Is this just because you cant go abroad this year?

wink1970 · 12/10/2020 14:31

Another one here with 20+ days left - I'm going to take at least half, as like you I am knackered. I need some mental rest and have some household jobs to do.

Runnerduck34 · 12/10/2020 14:34

If you need a break take time off.
We have been encouraged to book leave as normal so if we usually go away in august still to book 2 weeks off even if our holiday had been cancelled. Partly to avoid burn out but also because they can not facilitate everyone wanting or needing to take leave at the same time.
However somewhat in contradiction they have also doubled the amount of leave we can carry over to next year from 5 days to 10 days.
I have booked my leave as normal ,so still taken time off may half term and didnt cancel my leave at easter when lock down was announced because I still need a break even if we didnt physically go away ( but hadnt actually planned to go away anyway!) we did manage a week away in august.
If I carry over anything it will be less than a week. Tbh I only spend about half my leave going on holiday anyway, the rest is childcare, christmas , appointments etc

InMySpareTime · 12/10/2020 14:38

DH had loads of leave left, so he's taken all the Wednesdays off until Christmas. It's always nearly the weekend!

Madre1972 · 12/10/2020 14:38

I’ve been using mine. My work has been super busy during Covid so I’ve still felt like I’ve needed a break. I’ve taken a lot of half days and random days off here and there. I’ve got a long break booked for Christmas and at least half a day a fortnight off for the rest of the year. Use it however suits you best.

hauntedvagina · 12/10/2020 14:39

I'm carrying over two weeks worth. I'll take an extra week in the school holidays and have a glorious week off by myself in September when my youngest starts school.

Marmite27 · 12/10/2020 14:41

Ive got a week for half term, a fortnight at Christmas and a week and a day left to book!

I actually had a discussion with my manager this morning and we agreed for me to carry a week over to next year, as I would have just bought a week extra anyway, and use the odd day somewhere between now and my Christmas fortnight.

VanillaSpiceCandle · 12/10/2020 14:43

I’ve got a similar dilemma. Worked throughout and been incredibly busy so need to take some time but seems a shame to just sit in the house. I’d suggest splitting it and booking some for now and carrying half over. That’s what I think I’m going to do.

Derelictwreck · 12/10/2020 14:51

I've worked all year but still have 26 days to take! We can carry 20 over as a special consideration (normally only 10) so I will do that.

But I'm not sure what I'm going to do with 52 days leave plus bank holidays next year! Sounds like a nice problem to have I know, but that's 12 weeks of leave Confused when work is busy and we might not be able to travel anyway! Wish we had the option to sell back.

Original poster
2020hello · 12/10/2020 15:20

Wow its so mixed.
I do o ly have 6 days left so its not much at all I had to take 2 weeks in the summer holiday for the kids and I have a week in December for when they break up from school before my husband has xmas week off as I have to work in between.

I do want some me time but is that kind of wasting it when I could have an extra week this year.

I guess it will be the same next year anyway no holidays.

Always horrible when tiny amount of holiday left.

OP posts:
Jammymare · 12/10/2020 15:36

I get a very generous 32 days plus bank holidays. We are usually allowed to carry forward a week, but I’ve always taken it all previously. This year there’s no official limit on how much we can carry forward (but management have been quite strongly suggesting we should be taking our leave in the interests of our welfare, and an unofficial 2 week limit has been mentioned). I didn’t take any leave until July as so busy, and still have 4 weeks left. Had a plan to get it down to two weeks, but just broken my leg so sick leave will put paid to that. I’m hoping to get married next year, so will use the extra days around then.

PattyPan · 12/10/2020 15:40

I’ve taken off the whole of next week because I really can’t be arsed with work any more and need a break! I’ve taken a few days off here and there but didn’t take a week during the summer. I’m not even going anywhere, just going to catch up on jobs and read my book! Our leave year runs until May so I don’t need to save any leave for next summer and I’ve set aside some time for Christmas and Easter and still have loads. Apparently my work is expecting to get really busy over the next few months so I’m wondering if I should book a few days off in November before they stop letting us Confused

NoSquirrels · 12/10/2020 16:07

I don't understand how people have managed to have so much left - this year for us has been the same childcare-wise in the school holidays as it ever was... work was understanding about homeschooling & WFH happening on the same timetable, but definitely expected us to take holiday to cover childcare in out-of-school time the same way they would usually. Plus we needed to spend some time with the kids not ignoring them whilst trying to work!

If anything I feel like I could do with time off now whilst they're at school, but haven't got much to use up.

NoSquirrels · 12/10/2020 16:10

@Derelictwreck

I've worked all year but still have 26 days to take! We can carry 20 over as a special consideration (normally only 10) so I will do that.

But I'm not sure what I'm going to do with 52 days leave plus bank holidays next year! Sounds like a nice problem to have I know, but that's 12 weeks of leave Confused when work is busy and we might not be able to travel anyway! Wish we had the option to sell back.

Why not take 2 weeks off now, though? Why carry over 20 if you're never going to use up 12 weeks' worth of leave next year? You could book a day off per week from now until Christmas and have 3-day weekends for 2 months...
caughtalightsneeze · 12/10/2020 16:14

I always try to take all my annual leave. Partly because we're not allowed to carry very much over anyway, and I know it's a financial nightmare for employers allowing staff to carry leave over. But also because I don't see the point. It's part of my overall package, along with my salary and my pension. Not taking your annual leave that you are contractually entitled to is a bit like getting to the last month of the year and saying 'no salary for me thanks, I'll take it some other time'.

RaspberryToupee · 12/10/2020 16:23

I carried 3 days forward from last year because we were going on holiday in May (holiday year runs Apr-Mar) but that got cancelled. I’ve had 6 days of leave this year and I feel like I need a break but I’m also bored and don’t want to spend a week at home, which usually wouldn’t have bothered me. I think I’m going to take a fortnight at Christmas and that will leave me with 16 days to use before April, so I think I’m going to carry as much forward as I can. Work will allow us to carry more forward than usual this year but haven’t confirmed how many days.

Ludoole · 12/10/2020 16:32

I've got next week off and then another 10 days left to book. Been told we cant carry any over to next year so im damn well taking them ASAP.
Its a shame cuz we are busy at work but im not losing any of my entitlement.