One in four uk workers fail to take their leave entitlement

More than one in four UK workers end the year with over three working weeks of untaken holiday leave, according to new data – and for higher earners, the financial hit can top £3,500.

The figures come from Britain’s Work-Life Balance Report, compiled by absence management platform Timetastic from analysis of more than 180,000 employees. Despite a statutory entitlement of 28 days’ annual leave (including bank holidays), only a minority of workers are making full use of what they are owed.

For workers whose employers do not allow unused leave to carry over, failing to take annual leave is effectively a pay cut. For someone on a £30,000 salary, leaving 15 days unused amounts to forfeiting £1,731. For a higher earner on £60,000, that figure rises to £3,562.

Sarah Crammond, Customer Success Expert at Timetastic, says the scale of the problem demands attention: “Taking time off isn’t just a perk, it’s essential for productivity, creativity, and mental wellbeing. But many workers still feel unable to fully switch off, which is having a major effect on employee engagement, long-term business performance, and overall wellbeing.”

The findings come as Google searches for ‘signs of burnout’ have risen by 150% in the past year, pointing to a growing work-life balance crisis playing out in workplaces across the country.

Speaking to Timetastic about the findings, Dr Ravi Gill, Practitioner Psychologist and Workplace Wellbeing Consultant at Smart Mind Health, warns that the consequences of skipping annual leave go far beyond tiredness: “Taking annual leave is essential for psychological recovery as work places ongoing demands on the mind and body, activating stress systems. Time off allows these systems to return to baseline, reducing physiological strain. Without adequate recovery, stress accumulates and can lead to longer-term health consequences.

“Not taking regular leave increases the risk of burnout, which leads to emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and reduced personal accomplishment. Research consistently shows that insufficient recovery time is a major predictor of burnout, as individuals are not given the opportunity to replenish depleted emotional and cognitive resources.”

Dr Gill also highlights the psychological barriers that stop workers from booking time off in the first place: “One of the most common barriers is workplace guilt. Many employees feel they are letting their team down or increasing pressure on colleagues by being absent. This is particularly strong in high-responsibility or caring roles, where people may feel a heightened sense of duty and accountability.

“Another key barrier is presenteeism culture, which is the belief that being constantly available equates to being committed or high-performing,” she added. “In environments where overwork is normalised or subtly rewarded, taking leave can feel like a sign of weakness or lack of dedication. The ‘hustle culture’ within modern society promotes this.”

Even booking time off is no guarantee it will be taken. Of more than 372,710 holidays booked via the Timetastic platform in 2025, nearly one in five (19.9%) were ultimately cancelled. This is despite workers submitting leave requests an average of 127 days in advance.

Crammond warned that this trend may signal deeper organisational issues. “Frequent holiday cancellations can sometimes indicate deeper workplace issues, such as understaffing or an inability for employees to step away from their responsibilities, which need to be addressed. By identifying patterns in cancelled leave, businesses can uncover where teams may be under pressure or lacking adequate cover, and take steps to resolve this.”