NHS Part-Time Annual Leave in Hours

What does WTE mean?

WTE means whole-time equivalent.

It shows how your contracted hours compare with a standard full-time NHS working week of 37.5 hours.

For example:

So 30 hours per week = 80% of full time, and 22.5 hours per week = 60% of full time.

The WTE figure is then used to calculate a proportionate annual leave entitlement.

NHS annual leave reference figures

For a standard full-time 37.5-hour working week, the usual Agenda for Change annual leave reference figures are:

These figures are based on 27 days on appointment, 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years, using a standard 7.5-hour day.

Part-time staff receive the relevant entitlement on a pro-rata basis.

UK nations: the 37.5-hour standard week applies in England. Arrangements can differ elsewhere in the UK. For example, NHS Scotland’s standard full-time week reduced to 36 hours from 1 April 2026, so the WTE calculation uses a different base there and the figures on this page will not match.

How to calculate part-time NHS annual leave

There are two main steps.

Step 1: Calculate your WTE

Use: Contracted weekly hours ÷ 37.5

22.5 ÷ 37.5 = 0.6 WTE

Step 2: Multiply the full-time entitlement by your WTE

If the full-time entitlement is 202.5 hours, then:

202.5 × 0.6 = 121.5 hours

So: 121.5 hours = 121h 30m. That is the part-time annual leave entitlement.

NHS annual leave for 30 hours per week

If you work 30 hours per week, your WTE is:

30 ÷ 37.5 = 0.8

Your annual leave entitlement depends on your length of NHS service.

On appointment

202.5 × 0.8 = 162 hours

After 5 years

217.5 × 0.8 = 174 hours

After 10 years

247.5 × 0.8 = 198 hours

So for a 30-hour week:

NHS annual leave for 22.5 hours per week

If you work 22.5 hours per week, your WTE is:

22.5 ÷ 37.5 = 0.6

On appointment

202.5 × 0.6 = 121.5 hours

So: 121h 30m

After 5 years

217.5 × 0.6 = 130.5 hours

So: 130h 30m

After 10 years

247.5 × 0.6 = 148.5 hours

So: 148h 30m

Quick reference table for common part-time NHS hours

In hours and minutes:

• 121.5h = 121h 30m
• 101.25h = 101h 15m
• 108.75h = 108h 45m
• 123.75h = 123h 45m

Your employer may round at a different stage of the calculation, so the figure shown in your system may differ slightly.

Part-time NHS public holiday entitlement

Public holiday entitlement is usually calculated separately from annual leave.

For a standard full-time worker in England, eight public holidays at 7.5 hours each would equal:

8 × 7.5 = 60 hours

A part-time worker would usually receive this on a pro-rata basis.

For example, at 0.8 WTE:

60 × 0.8 = 48 hours

So the public holiday entitlement would be 48 hours.

At 0.6 WTE:

60 × 0.6 = 36 hours

Your employer may show annual leave and public holiday hours separately or combine them within the same leave system.

Annual leave and public holiday hours are not the same thing

It is useful to keep the two figures separate when checking your entitlement.

Annual leave

Based on your service level and WTE.

Public holiday entitlement

Calculated separately and also adjusted for part-time hours.

For example, a 30-hour-per-week employee with under 5 years of service could have:

• Annual leave: 162h
• Public holiday entitlement: 48h

Whether these are displayed separately or together depends on the employer’s system.

Contracted hours determine entitlement

Your contracted weekly hours are used to calculate how much annual leave you receive.

22.5 contracted hours ÷ 37.5 = 0.6 WTE

That WTE is then applied to the full-time entitlement.

Your individual shift lengths do not normally change the basic entitlement calculation. This is an important distinction.

Shift length determines how leave is used

Once your annual leave entitlement has been calculated, your actual shift pattern affects how much leave is deducted when you take time off.

For example, two employees may both work 22.5 hours per week and therefore have the same WTE.

Employee A

• Monday: 7h 30m
• Tuesday: 7h 30m
• Wednesday: 7h 30m

Employee B

• Monday: 10h
• Tuesday: 7h 30m
• Wednesday: 5h

Both work 22.5 hours per week and can therefore have the same annual leave entitlement in hours.

But taking Monday off could use:

• Employee A: 7h 30m
• Employee B: 10h

The entitlement is the same. The way the balance is used is different.

Unequal working days example

Suppose your annual leave balance is 121h 30m and you work different shift lengths.

You take a 10-hour shift as annual leave:

121h 30m − 10h = 111h 30m

You then take a 5-hour shift:

111h 30m − 5h = 106h 30m

This is why annual leave shown in hours can be particularly useful for part-time staff with unequal working days.

What if your contracted hours change?

If your contracted weekly hours increase or decrease during the leave year, your annual leave entitlement may need to be adjusted.

For example, you might move from 22.5 hours per week to 30 hours per week. Your WTE would change from 0.6 to 0.8.

Your employer may therefore recalculate the entitlement for the relevant part of the leave year.

The exact method can depend on the date the change takes effect and local policy.

What if you start or leave part-way through the year?

If you start or leave during the leave year, your entitlement will usually also need to be adjusted for the portion of the year you are employed.

That is a separate calculation from the basic part-time WTE calculation.

For a fuller explanation, see How to Work Out NHS Annual Leave in Hours.

Why your ESR or trust figure may look different

A manual WTE calculation is useful for understanding your entitlement, but the figure shown in ESR or another local system may not match exactly.

Possible reasons include:

Rounding

The system may round WTE or leave hours at a different stage.

Public holidays

Public holiday entitlement may be combined with annual leave or shown separately.

Exact service dates

Your move to the 29- or 33-day entitlement may occur part-way through a leave year.

Start or leaving date

Part-year employment can change the total.

Contracted-hours changes

A change in hours during the year may result in a recalculation.

Carry-over

Unused leave from the previous year may have been added.

Manual adjustments

HR may have made a correction or local adjustment.

If your figure is close but not identical to your own calculation, one of these may explain the difference.

Common mistakes with NHS part-time annual leave

Using the full-time entitlement without pro-rating it

A part-time worker should normally calculate their WTE first.

Using shift length instead of contracted weekly hours

Your entitlement is based on contracted hours. Your shift length affects how the entitlement is used.

Forgetting public holiday entitlement

Public holiday hours are usually calculated separately.

Comparing a part-time balance directly with a full-time figure

A lower part-time balance does not automatically mean the entitlement is incorrect.

Assuming every part-time worker has equal shifts

Two people can work the same weekly hours over very different shift patterns.

Treating 0.5 hours as 50 minutes

0.5 hours = 30 minutes

Assuming your manual calculation must exactly match ESR

Rounding, public holidays, exact dates and local adjustments can all create differences.