Comparison · Employment Rights · 2026
Carer's Leave vs Using Annual Leave 2026: Which Should You Take?
Since April 2024, employees have a statutory right to unpaid Carer's Leave for caring duties, separate from their normal paid holiday. Deciding which to use for a given caring need comes down to pay versus preserving your annual leave. Compared for 2026/27.
TL;DR -- 30-Second Summary
- • Carer's Leave: up to 5 days a year, unpaid, day-one right, separate from annual leave
- • Annual leave: paid as normal, but uses up your regular holiday allowance
- • No minimum hours test and no evidence required to take Carer's Leave
- • Employer can postpone (not refuse) requested Carer's Leave dates if it would unduly disrupt business
- • Both can be combined for the same caring situation for maximum flexibility
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Carer's Leave | Annual leave |
|---|---|---|
| Paid? | No -- unpaid | Yes -- paid as normal |
| Annual entitlement used | Separate -- does not reduce holiday | Reduces your normal holiday allowance |
| Days available per year | Up to 5 days (pro-rata part-time) | Your normal statutory + contractual entitlement |
| Evidence required? | No documentary evidence generally required | N/A -- standard holiday request |
| Employer can postpone dates? | Yes, with consultation and rules | Yes, per normal holiday request process |
Worked Example: Three Days Needed for a Care Assessment
An employee needs three working days off to attend a care needs assessment and arrange support for a parent. They compare taking Carer's Leave against booking annual leave for the same three days.
| Measure | Carer's Leave (3 days) | Annual leave (3 days) |
|---|---|---|
| Pay received for those days | None -- unpaid | Full normal pay |
| Annual leave remaining afterwards | Unchanged | 3 days fewer for the rest of the year |
| Carer's Leave remaining afterwards | 2 days left in the rolling 12 months | Full 5 days still available |
Taking Carer's Leave costs three days of pay but keeps the full annual leave balance intact for a holiday later in the year. Taking annual leave instead keeps the pay but uses up three days of the employee's regular holiday allowance -- the right choice depends on whether the employee can afford the unpaid days and how much holiday they still need to keep in reserve.
When Carer's Leave Is the Better Choice
Carer's Leave makes most sense when preserving your paid annual leave for a planned holiday or rest matters more than the short-term loss of pay for those specific days, and when you can financially absorb a small number of unpaid days without hardship.
When Using Annual Leave Makes More Sense
Using paid annual leave makes more sense if you cannot afford to go unpaid for those days, if you have already used your full Carer's Leave entitlement for the rolling 12-month period, or if you have more annual leave than you realistically expect to use for holidays anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Carer's Leave and using annual leave for caring duties?
Carer's Leave is a separate statutory employment right, introduced in April 2024, giving employees up to one week (five working days) of unpaid leave per rolling 12-month period specifically to provide or arrange care for a dependant with a long-term care need. Annual leave is your normal paid holiday entitlement, which you can also choose to use for caring duties, but doing so uses up days from your regular paid holiday allowance rather than a separate, ring-fenced entitlement.
Is Carer's Leave paid?
No -- Carer's Leave is unpaid. It is a day-one employment right that protects your job and prevents your employer from treating you unfavourably for taking it, but your employer is not legally required to pay your normal wages for those days, unlike statutory sick pay or some other family-related leave types. Some employers choose to pay it voluntarily as an enhanced benefit -- check your employment contract or staff handbook.
Why would I take unpaid Carer's Leave instead of paid annual leave?
The main reason is to preserve your annual leave for rest, holidays, or other personal use, rather than using it up on caring responsibilities. Carer's Leave is a separate entitlement on top of your normal annual leave, so taking it does not reduce your paid holiday allowance for the year -- the tradeoff is that those specific days are unpaid, whereas annual leave days are paid as normal.
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Do I need to give a reason or evidence to take Carer's Leave?
You need to confirm that the leave is for the purpose of providing or arranging care for a dependant with a long-term illness, disability, or care need due to old age, but your employer cannot generally require documentary evidence of the caring need before you take it, unlike some other statutory leave types. This is designed to make the leave straightforward and low-friction to access when a caring need arises.
Can my employer refuse a request for Carer's Leave?
Your employer cannot refuse the leave itself, since it is a statutory entitlement, but they can postpone the specific dates requested if the leave would unduly disrupt the business, provided they consult with you first, allow the same amount of leave to be taken within a set period, and give reasonable notice of the postponement. They cannot simply deny the entitlement outright.
How much notice do I need to give for Carer's Leave?
You generally need to give notice of at least twice the length of time you plan to take off, plus one day (for example, at least three days' notice for one and a half days of leave), or three days' notice for a single day, whichever is longer under the specific notice rules that apply. This is a shorter notice period than typically required for booking annual leave, reflecting that caring needs can arise with less predictability.
Does part-time work reduce my Carer's Leave entitlement?
Yes -- the one-week entitlement is calculated pro-rata based on your normal working pattern, so a part-time employee working fewer days a week receives a proportionally smaller number of Carer's Leave days, in the same way statutory annual leave entitlement is pro-rated for part-time workers.
Can I split my caring days between Carer's Leave and annual leave?
Yes -- there is nothing stopping you from using your full week of Carer's Leave first and then switching to paid annual leave for further days needed for the same caring situation, or using them in whichever order suits your circumstances. Combining both gives you the maximum flexibility: the ring-fenced unpaid entitlement plus your normal paid holiday on top.
What happens once I have used my full week of Carer's Leave for the year?
Once the one-week entitlement is used within the rolling 12-month period, any further time off for caring duties would need to come from another source -- typically annual leave, unpaid leave agreed separately with your employer, or another applicable statutory leave type if the situation qualifies (such as emergency time off for dependants, which is a separate, shorter-notice right for genuine emergencies).
Should I tell my employer I am using Carer's Leave rather than just booking annual leave?
It is generally worth being clear with your employer which type of leave you are taking, since Carer's Leave carries specific legal protections against unfavourable treatment that ordinary annual leave requests do not carry in the same way, and using the correct entitlement preserves your paid holiday for other purposes. Being transparent also helps your employer plan cover appropriately and apply the correct notice and postponement rules that are specific to Carer's Leave.
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Disclaimer: This comparison is general information for 2026/27 based on standard statutory Carer's Leave and annual leave rules and simplified assumptions. It is not legal advice. Employer policies can enhance these statutory minimums -- check your employment contract or staff handbook, or speak to ACAS or a solicitor for advice on your specific situation.