Should the UK have more bank holidays?

Poll

Should the UK have more bank holidays?

So we've just had the last bank holiday until Christmas (unless you're in Scotland and have St Andrews Day to look forward to).

Currently we only get eight bank holidays a year in the UK (nine in Scotland).

Obviously if you're in school/college or uni, then you've got more holidays than that - but once you're out at work, those 'free' days off get pretty precious.
So, what do you think? Should we have more?

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Reply 1

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by shooks

Halloween

And something in June/July (bump the late May one back into early June and then another in mid July).

That would bring us up to 10 in the year

Reply 2

Dheorl

No, I just think companies should be forced to give more holidays people can take whenever they want.

Definitely not.

Original post by shooks

A lot of workers don't get bank holidays off

Reply 5

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by niteninja1

A lot of workers don't get bank holidays off

But the minimum rights to annual leave was increased from 20 days pa to 28 days pa (for full time workers) in 2002 because it was decided that public holidays should count ABOVE the then 4 week minimum annual holiday amount.

So even if you have to work on bank holidays - your annual leave is larger because they exist (and would increase in line with the number of bank holidays)

Reply 6

niteninja1

My work pays double time so we don't get the holiday as extra

Reply 7

Rakas21

Personally i don't see why the state should force me to have set days off instead of those i choose to.

I'd tend to support moving towards a higher holiday entitlement and reducing the number of bank holidays (i'd make them 24th-26th December, 31st Dec-1st Jan). Austria and Malta are the highest rich countries at 38 days so we could could probably have the five aforementioned days and then 35 days to choose from without much negative impact.

Reply 8

TimmonaPortella

You may as well ask children whether there should be more ice cream. Obviously people will want more days off however many days they have off already.

Reply 9

Tiger Rag

No. Instead, I do think they should be spread out more.

Reply 10

Speckle

I want more holidays and more pay and more girls and more cars.

Reply 11

Drunk Punx

Original post by Tiger Rag

No. Instead, I do think they should be spread out more.

I second this.

I'm sure we had 2 or 3 within the space of a month and a bit earlier this year, it's totally unnecessary. Take a couple out of the March-June area, stick them between September and December.

Reply 12

Tiger Rag

Original post by Drunk Punx

There's 2 in May.

Reply 13

username1221160

I'd go far further. If British businesses and employees pull their fingers out we could improve our productivity rate. If the average British worker was as productive as their French counterparts we could have around an extra 5 weeks off a year and be no poorer for it. Much better work-life balance.

Reply 14

Reue

We already have an extremely generous holiday allowance, more is certainly not needed.

Reply 15

Reue

Original post by Quantex

you mean when they're not all on strike?

Reply 16

sleepysnooze

"time off"? I didn't get time off

Reply 17

tamil fever

definitely yes!
i need more time away from teachers

Reply 18

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper

Original post by TimmonaPortella

You may as well ask children whether there should be more ice cream. Obviously people will want more days off however many days they have off already.