Key findings
- The median annual leave allowance is 24 days, excluding bank holidays. The 25th percentile is 22 days and the 75th percentile is 26 days (n = 260). (How many days of annual leave do UK employers give?)
- Enhanced pay (above statutory) is the common answer on maternity and adoption pay, chosen by 43.8% of organisations (n = 256). With the 25.4% that combine enhanced leave and pay, 69.2% enhance pay in some form (43.8% + 25.4%). (What percentage of UK employers offer enhanced maternity and adoption pay?)
- Statutory sick pay only is the common answer, chosen by 44.0% of organisations (n = 257). 56.0% provide some enhanced sick pay, combined with SSP or above it (38.5% + 17.5%). (What percentage of UK employers pay more than statutory sick pay?)
Every figure on this page comes from the lumi reward benchmark, with the number of organisations answering shown beside it. The papers below give the full distributions, and the public figures link to one page per metric. The register lists 62 metrics in this area, among them annual leave days (excluding bank holidays), maternity & adoption pay vs statutory and occupational sick pay vs SSP; every one has a public definition in the metric register.
What the research says
7 papers
How many days a week do UK employers expect hybrid staff to attend a workplace?
40.0%n = 255expect 3 or more workplace days a week
- For roles that support remote working, the common expectation is workplace attendance of 3 or more days per week, chosen by 40.0% of employers (n = 255).
- Anywhere in the UK is the common answer on where remote employees may work, at 60.5% (n = 210). For remote working abroad, case-by-case decisions are common, at 47.0% (n = 266).
- 70.1% of employers cover IT equipment for home working and 8.0% cover broadband or connectivity costs. 20.5% answered "None" (n = 264).
Also in the paper
- 94.1% do not operate a four-day week or nine-day fortnight for any population (n = 269).
- 68.8% have no right-to-disconnect or out-of-hours communication policy (n = 266).
- When an employee moves from office-based to remote working, 65.6% protect base pay (n = 122, 'Not applicable' excluded).
- 59.6% review pay decisions for remote roles for consistency and fairness, in some cases or routinely (35.7% + 23.9%), and 40.4% do not (n = 213). 56.9% determine base pay for remote roles on a national, location-agnostic pay rate (n = 225).
How many days of annual leave do UK employers give?
24 daysn = 260the median, excluding bank holidays
- The median annual leave allowance is 24 days, excluding bank holidays. The 25th percentile is 22 days and the 75th percentile is 26 days (n = 260).
- Providing bank holidays in addition to annual leave is the common approach, at 39.7%. Including them within the allowance is an alternative, at 38.8%, and 21.5% use a mix of both (n = 214).
- 49.8% let employees buy annual leave (38.1% + 11.7%) (n = 257). Of those answering the follow-up, 93.1% set the typical maximum purchase at 1–5 days a year (n = 131).
Also in the paper
- 76.9% allow unused leave to be carried over (47.4% + 29.5%). Limited carry-over in specific circumstances is the common answer (n = 251).
- 44.1% provide additional annual leave based on length of service (n = 256). Offering unlimited or uncapped leave is rare, at 3.4% for some roles and 1.9% for all employees: 5.3% in total (3.4% + 1.9%) (n = 266).
- For irregular-hours and part-year workers, 53.0% accrue holiday pay and pay it when leave is taken, using 52-week average pay. Rolled-up holiday pay is an alternative, at 36.5% (n = 219).
- 74.0% say they keep annual-leave and holiday-pay records that meet the Working Time Regulations, including accrual records for irregular-hours and part-year workers (n = 265).
How much paternity and shared parental leave pay do UK employers provide?
2 weeksn = 266the median enhanced paternity pay
- The median organisation provides 2 weeks of enhanced paternity pay above statutory. The 25th percentile is 0 weeks, the 75th percentile is 4 weeks and the range runs from 0 to 26 weeks (n = 266).
- 46.2% provide enhanced shared parental pay above statutory provision. Statutory only is the common answer, at 53.8% (n = 251).
- 37.0% provide paid parental leave beyond statutory unpaid parental leave. Statutory unpaid only is the common answer, at 63.0% (n = 262).
Also in the paper
- 60.6% say they have made paternity and unpaid parental leave available from day one of employment. 39.4% say they have not (n = 269).
- For the new bereaved partner's paternity entitlement, 67.0% provide statutory only and 23.5% provide enhanced pay. 9.5% answer "Not yet reviewed" (n = 264).
- Paid grandparental leave is rare: 5.3% provide it and 94.7% do not (n = 266).
What carer's and bereavement leave do UK employers provide?
91.0%n = 268give only statutory unpaid carer's leave
- 91.0% of organisations provide carer's leave at the statutory unpaid level only (n = 268). 9.0% pay for some or all of it (4.5% + 4.5%).
- For emergency or compassionate leave, the common answer is partial pay decided case by case, at 69.5% (n = 243). 15.6% say paid leave is provided.
- Paid bereavement leave for the death of a close family member has a median of 3 days, a 25th percentile of 2 days and a 75th percentile of 5 days (n = 268).
Also in the paper
- 50.9% have no specific provision for paid pregnancy loss leave (n = 267). 31.5% answered "Discretionary" and 17.6% have a paid policy.
- 64.0% offer no backup or emergency care days (n = 267). 21.7% provide eldercare support services (n = 267).
- 23.3% provide counselling as bereavement support beyond leave (n = 266). 66.5% chose "None".
- 64.8% provide neither paid leave nor formal support for employees experiencing domestic abuse (n = 267). 13.1% provide both.
What fertility and menopause support do UK employers provide?
21.3%n = 211give paid fertility-treatment leave
- Dedicated paid fertility-treatment leave, separate from sick and annual leave, is an alternative practice at 21.3%. "No" is the common answer at 76.3% (n = 211, "Not applicable" excluded).
- "None" is the common answer on funded IVF or fertility treatment cycles, at 98.4%. Each answer describing funded treatment is rare; together they account for 1.6% (0.8% + 0.4% + 0.4%) (n = 257, "Not applicable" excluded).
- Specific paid menopause leave is rare at 3.1%. A further 17.7% provide support without specific paid leave, and 79.2% have no specific provision (n = 260).
Also in the paper
- 9.0% (3.0% + 6.0%) have already published a voluntary menopause action plan or plan to publish one this year. "No plans" is the common answer at 77.2% (n = 267).
- 23.0% (12.8% + 10.2%) provide women's health support beyond menopause leave, either as a clinical benefit or as policy and awareness only (n = 266).
- Men's health support is an alternative practice, provided by 23.2% (n = 267).
- 29.7% (19.9% + 9.8%) offer gender-affirming healthcare support within benefits, either explicitly or through standard private medical insurance terms (n = 266).
What percentage of UK employers offer enhanced maternity and adoption pay?
69.2%n = 256enhance maternity and adoption pay
- Enhanced pay (above statutory) is the common answer on maternity and adoption pay, chosen by 43.8% of organisations (n = 256). With the 25.4% that combine enhanced leave and pay, 69.2% enhance pay in some form (43.8% + 25.4%).
- Statutory pay only is an alternative, at 26.6% (n = 256). Enhanced leave only, with statutory pay, is rare at 4.3%.
- The median number of weeks of enhanced maternity and adoption pay is 12. The 25th percentile is 0 weeks, the 75th percentile is 16 weeks, and answers range from 0 to 52 weeks (n = 261).
Also in the paper
- For neonatal care leave, statutory only is the common answer, at 67.0% (n = 267). 33.0% enhance neonatal care pay in some form (24.0% + 9.0%).
- 70.4% of organisations do not address surrogacy in their pay and leave policies, the common answer (n = 267). Full parity with adoption is rare, at 11.2%.
- On return-to-work support after extended family leave, neither coaching nor a phased return is the common answer, at 64.4% (n = 264). 35.7% provide a phased return (20.5% phased return only + 15.2% coaching plus phased return).
What percentage of UK employers pay more than statutory sick pay?
56.0%n = 257pay more than statutory sick pay
- Statutory sick pay only is the common answer, chosen by 44.0% of organisations (n = 257). 56.0% provide some enhanced sick pay, combined with SSP or above it (38.5% + 17.5%).
- Enhanced occupational sick pay is provided for a median of 12 weeks. The 25th percentile is 5 weeks, the 75th percentile is 26 weeks, and answers range from 0 to 52 weeks (n = 147).
- 66.9% have a waiting period before occupational sick pay applies (66.2% + 0.7%). A wait of up to 3 days is the common answer, at 66.2%, and 33.1% have no waiting period (n = 136).
Also in the paper
- 24.1% say their eligibility rules for occupational sick pay are clearly defined and documented. "Partly" is the common answer, at 64.7% (n = 133).
- 86.8% review extended or repeated occupational sick pay cases before approval (71.6% + 15.2%). Reviewing some cases is the common answer, at 71.6% (n = 250).
- On the April 2026 SSP reform, "Reviewing" is the common answer, at 32.6%. 29.6% have not reviewed occupational sick pay against it, and 37.8% report it is aligned (28.8% + 9.0%) (n = 267).
- 79.7% give employees access to occupational health (40.4% + 23.6% + 15.7%). 15.7% have a service level agreement for referrals to be seen within 2 weeks (n = 267).
The public figures
50 metric pagesOne page per metric, each with its figure, its base and its collection window, from lumi's public UK reward metrics. The register lists 62 metrics in this area; a figure is published where enough organisations have answered.
- Expected workplace attendance for remote-eligible roles39.9% “3 or more days per week”n = 253
- Time off in lieu (TOIL) as an overtime alternative54% have time off in lieu (TOIL) as an overtime alternative in placen = 265
- Maximum additional leave purchasable per year100% have maximum additional leave purchasable per year in placen = 129
- Maternity & adoption pay vs statutory43.7% “Enhanced pay (above statutory)”n = 254
- Weeks of enhanced maternity and adoption payThe median weeks of enhanced maternity and adoption pay is 12 weeksn = 259
- Enhanced shared parental pay53.4% “No (statutory only)”n = 249
- Paid parental leave beyond statutory62.7% “No (statutory unpaid only)”n = 260
- Paid emergency or compassionate leave70.1% “Partially paid (case-by-case)”n = 241
- Paid study or exam leave58.3% “Unpaid leave only”n = 254
- Paid volunteering leave70.3% “No specific provision”n = 246
- Sabbatical and career break availability76.1% “No specific provision”n = 259
- Dedicated paid menopause leave79.1% “No specific provision”n = 258
- Annual leave days (excluding bank holidays)The median annual leave days (excluding bank holidays) is 24 daysn = 258
- How UK bank holidays are treated39.2% “Included within the annual leave allowance”n = 212
- Annual leave buy/sell availability48.6% “No”n = 255
- Extra annual leave for length of service55.9% “No”n = 254
- Carry-over of unused annual leave47% “Yes - limited carry-over in specific circumstances”n = 249
- Mandatory shutdown leave82.3% “No”n = 260
- Bank holiday swap availability52.8% “Yes”n = 252
- Occupational sick pay vs SSP44.3% “Statutory sick pay only”n = 255
- Enhanced occupational sick pay durationThe median enhanced occupational sick pay duration is 12 weeksn = 145
- Waiting period before occupational sick pay67.2% “Yes - up to 3 days”n = 134
- Documented OSP eligibility rules65.6% “Partly”n = 131
- Review of extended or repeated OSP cases72.2% “Yes - some cases”n = 248
- Bank holiday working premium82% have bank holiday working premium in placen = 250
- Paid bereavement leave (days)The median paid bereavement leave (days) is 3 daysn = 267
- Occupational sick pay reviewed against the April 2026 SSP reform32.5% “Reviewing”n = 265
- Employer-funded fertility treatment98.4% “None”n = 255
- Paid fertility-treatment leave77% “No”n = 209
- Neonatal care leave above statutory66.8% “Statutory only”n = 265
- Paid pregnancy-loss leave50.9% “No specific provision”n = 265
- Weeks of enhanced paternity payThe median weeks of enhanced paternity pay is 2 weeksn = 264
- Day-one paternity and parental leave60.7% “Yes”n = 267
- Holiday-pay record keeping73.9% “Yes”n = 264
- Paid carer's leave above statutory91.4% “Statutory unpaid only”n = 266
- Childcare support29.3% have childcare support in placen = 263
- Four-day week or nine-day fortnight94.4% “No”n = 267
- Backup or emergency care days64.2% “No”n = 265
- Return-to-work support after family leave64.6% “Neither”n = 263
- Paid grandparental leave94.7% “No”n = 264
- Surrogacy parity with adoption70.9% “Not addressed”n = 265
- Domestic abuse leave and support64.9% “Neither”n = 265
- Eldercare navigation support78.1% “No”n = 265
- Bereaved partner's paternity enhancement67.6% “Statutory only”n = 262
- Flexible working patterns offered as standard68.6% have flexible working patterns offered as standard in placen = 264
- Right-to-disconnect policy68.9% “No”n = 264
- Additional discretionary days off24.3% have additional discretionary days off in placen = 263
- Annual leave donation between colleagues95.1% “No”n = 264
- Unlimited annual leave94.7% “No”n = 264
- Remote working abroad (workation) policy47% “Case-by-case”n = 264
Read off lumi's public metric pages as at 2026-10-31. Members see every metric in the register, against the peer group they choose.
Guides and templates
10 items
How-to guideHow to manage keeping-in-touch (KIT) days
Up to 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days on maternity or adoption leave, 20 SPLIT days on shared parental leave: what counts, how to pay them, and SMP.
How-to guideHow to calculate holiday pay for irregular hours
Holiday pay for zero-hours and other irregular-hours workers: accrue 12.07% of hours worked, then pay a 52-week average or roll it up.
How-to guideHow to calculate statutory sick pay under the 2026 rules
Calculate SSP under the April 2026 rules: eligibility, qualifying days, average weekly earnings, the 80% test, daily rates, linked periods and form.
How-to guideHow to handle a statutory flexible working request
Handle a statutory flexible working request step by step: the two-month deadline, consultation, the eight business reasons, trials and appeals.
How-to guideHow to update your paternity and parental leave policy
Update paternity, parental and shared parental leave policy for April 2026: day-one leave, notice, bereaved partner's leave, pay choices and payroll.
How-to guideHow to write a carer's leave and compassionate leave policy
Carer's leave, time off for dependants, parental bereavement pay and compassionate leave: the law at September 2026 and the design choices, step by.
How-to guideHow to write a gender equality and menopause action plan
Write a gender equality and menopause action plan: who is covered, baseline data, choosing actions, owners, measures and publishing on the GOV.UK.
How-to guideHow to write an enhanced maternity and adoption pay policy
Enhanced maternity and adoption pay, step by step: eligibility, level, repayment, KIT days, pensions, surrogacy, neonatal care and a worked example.
How-to guideOccupational sick pay after the 2026 SSP reform
SSP now starts on day one and the lower earnings limit has gone.
Policy templateOccupational sick pay policy template (UK, 2026)
A UK occupational sick pay policy template updated for the April 2026 SSP reform, with each design decision set out as options.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of annual leave do UK employers give?
In the lumi reward benchmark, the median annual leave allowance is 24 days, excluding bank holidays. The 25th percentile is 22 days and the 75th percentile is 26 days (n = 260).
What percentage of UK employers offer enhanced maternity and adoption pay?
In the lumi reward benchmark, enhanced pay (above statutory) is the common answer on maternity and adoption pay, chosen by 43.8% of organisations (n = 256). With the 25.4% that combine enhanced leave and pay, 69.2% enhance pay in some form (43.8% + 25.4%).
What percentage of UK employers pay more than statutory sick pay?
In the lumi reward benchmark, statutory sick pay only is the common answer, chosen by 44.0% of organisations (n = 257). 56.0% provide some enhanced sick pay, combined with SSP or above it (38.5% + 17.5%).
How much paternity and shared parental leave pay do UK employers provide?
In the lumi reward benchmark, the median organisation provides 2 weeks of enhanced paternity pay above statutory. The 25th percentile is 0 weeks, the 75th percentile is 4 weeks and the range runs from 0 to 26 weeks (n = 266).
How much is statutory sick pay in 2026, and how many UK employers pay more than it?
Statutory sick pay is the lower of £123.25 a week and 80% of normal weekly earnings, payable from the first full day of sickness since 6 April 2026, for up to 28 weeks. In the lumi reward benchmark, 56.0% of UK organisations pay some enhanced sick pay (38.5% + 17.5%) and 44.0% pay statutory sick pay only (n = 257).
What is the average maternity leave and pay in the UK?
Maternity or adoption leave is 52 weeks with no minimum service, and statutory maternity and adoption pay is 90% of average weekly earnings for six weeks, then £194.32 a week or 90% if lower, for 33 weeks (2026/27). What varies between employers is the pay above that. In the lumi reward benchmark, 69.2% of UK organisations enhance maternity and adoption pay in some form (43.8% + 25.4%, n = 256), and the median length of enhanced pay is 12 weeks, counting the organisations that provide none (n = 261; the 25th percentile is 0 weeks and the 75th is 16).
How much paternity leave and pay do UK employers give in 2026?
Statutory paternity leave is 1 or 2 weeks, a day-one right since 6 April 2026, paid at £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (2026/27). In the lumi reward benchmark, the median UK organisation provides 2 weeks of enhanced paternity pay above statutory (n = 266; the 75th percentile is 4 weeks), and 60.6% have made paternity and unpaid parental leave available from day one of employment (n = 269).
What is the average annual leave allowance in the UK?
In the lumi reward benchmark, the median annual leave allowance is 24 days, excluding bank holidays. The 25th percentile is 22 days and the 75th percentile is 26 days (n = 260). Statutory annual leave is 5.6 weeks, which can include bank holidays.
Is carer's leave paid in the UK, and how much bereavement leave do employers give?
The statutory right, since 6 April 2024, is up to one week's unpaid carer's leave in any 12 months, from day one. In the lumi reward benchmark, 91.0% of UK organisations provide carer's leave at the statutory unpaid level only and 9.0% pay for some or all of it (4.5% + 4.5%, n = 268). Paid bereavement leave for the death of a close family member has a median of 3 days, a 25th percentile of 2 days and a 75th percentile of 5 days (n = 268); a statutory bereavement leave of at least one week, including pregnancy loss before 24 weeks, is due in 2027.
Do UK employers have to have a menopause policy or action plan?
No. Employers in England, Scotland and Wales with 250 or more employees can publish a voluntary menopause action plan with their gender pay gap data, and GOV.UK says that, subject to legislation, plans become mandatory from spring 2027. In the lumi reward benchmark, 3.0% of UK organisations have already published one and 6.0% plan to publish one this year (n = 267); 3.1% provide specific paid menopause leave and 17.7% provide support without specific paid leave (n = 260).
How many days a week do UK employers require in the office in 2026?
In the lumi reward benchmark, for roles that support remote working, the common expectation is workplace attendance of 3 or more days per week, chosen by 40.0% of employers (n = 255); 65.5% expect attendance at least one day a week (40.0% + 25.5%).