Are employers required to pay temporary staff holiday pay?

[samandi]

I'm currently in a dispute with my employers over holiday pay. I'm on a fixed term contract and they claim that I am not entitled to it. Every source that I've looked at says temporary workers shouldn't be treated less favorably than permanent staff, and are entitled to the statutory minimum holiday pay. Does anyone have any personal experience of this?

They need to pay you holiday pay.

Absolutely they do - no question

I think you are entitled to some extra pay. Think it's something to do with the European Working Time Directive.
I used to be a bank worker in a hospital at weekends and every 3 months or so would get an extra sum in my wages that was called WTD.
My student son also works as a barman / waiter in his university holidays and he gets an extra sum of money put into his wages every so often for holiday pay.

yes.
all staff are paid holiday pay - it's worked out based on how many hours you work and how long you work.
so if your temporary contract was for 3 months, and normal holiday entitlement is for 4 weeks, then you get 1 week (1/4 of 4)

This is what you need here.

I am casually employed by the council, on an as and when basis and I get holiday pay.

from direct.gov
it says the minimum for full-time is 5.6 weeks annually. (28 days)

You are entitled to 28 days paid leave per year pro rata to the hours you work. The 28 days are a statutory requirement and your employer is breaking the law by refusing to pay you.

Yes.

Directgov link here. It is calculated pro rata. If you don't take the holiday entitlement, they have to pay you for those days when you leave.

Many thanks for replies. I was pretty sure I was right and had seen the directgiv link/ACAS website, but it's nice to be agreed with!