Key questions answered by the experts.

Q: I’ve read recently about the annual holiday entitlement being extended. I get 20 days a year plus bank holidays. Will this affect me?

A: The current statutory entitlement is 20 days. Employers have been able to include the eight bank holidays in England and Wales in those 20 days.

However, this will change.

In October, employers will be have to increase statutory holiday entitlement to 24 days (4.8 weeks).

In April 2009, it must be increased to 28 days (5.6 weeks).

This will complete the phased increase so that by April 2009, staff working five days a week will be entitled to 28 days statutory days’ holiday – 20 days plus the eight bank holidays.

The increased entitlement does not mean that you have to be given all bank holidays off work and be paid for them.

If your employer already gives you 28 days’ holiday (pro- rata for part-timers ), and he or she cannot replace holiday with payment, and if they allow you to carry over any days in excess of 20 to the next holiday year, the changes will not affect you.

ACAS ADVISER