Millions of workers across Britain are not receiving their legal entitlement of annual leave, new analysis reveals today.
As families prepare to jet off for the summer, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has found one in 12 workers are not getting the correct amount of holiday.
The TUC analysis estimates that 2.2 million employees are not getting the minimum paid leave entitlement they are due.
And more than half of those affected – 1.2 million – are not getting any paid leave at all.
Those working in agriculture were most likely to be affected, alongside miners, and those working in manufacturing as well as accommodation and food services.
People who work in finance and insurance were the least likely to not receive legally entitled holiday, together with those involved in the water industry.
Number of UK employees not getting legal entitlement in 2017
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We’re now in peak holiday season. But while many workers are away enjoying time off with friends and family, millions are missing out. And that puts them at risk of burnout.
“Employers have no excuse for robbing staff of their well-earned leave. UK workers put in billions of hours of unpaid overtime as it is.
“The government must toughen up enforcement to stop bosses cheating staff out of their leave.“
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: “The Government expects employers to treat their workers fairly and abide by employment law – including making sure workers get the holiday pay and leave they are legally entitled to.
“Through our Good Work Plan, we’re providing new rights to millions of workers, with holiday pay to be enforced for vulnerable workers. We’ve now consulted on this and will outline plans in due course.”