Annual leave recording for all staff mandatory from April 2026
From 6 April 2026 the Government has introduced a new requirement for employers to keep records showing that all staff are taking at least the minimum statutory annual leave entitlement (28 days per annum for full-time staff). Most University employees already record their annual leave via PeopleXD, and they should continue to do so as this meets the new statutory requirement.
For those parts of the University who have not yet migrated to recording leave on PeopleXD they should continue to use their current system, as advised by their HR team.
For any academic members of staff who do not currently record annual leave, they will be required to record their annual leave with effect from April 2026 in order for the University to demonstrate compliance with the new statutory requirements.
Further support is available from divisional/departmental HR teams including instructions on how to use PeopleXD (or any alternative system). System guidance for accessing HR Self-Service and managing annual leave can be accessed from the Staff Gateway.
Further guidance
The Working Time Regulations give all UK employees an entitlement to a minimum of 5.6 weeks or 28 days of paid annual leave (pro-rata for part-time) which recognises that breaks away from the workplace are important to an individual’s health and wellbeing. Employers are required to enable their staff to take this leave in the year in which it is accrued. Leave entitlement can only be carried forward from one year to the next in specific circumstances (such as absence due to family or extended sick leave).
From 6 April 2026, the government has mandated that employers keep records to evidence that they are fulfilling their duties in this regard, by requiring them to keep records that staff are taking at least the statutory minimum amount of leave within the year in which it is accrued. Failure to keep such records will become a criminal offence and the new Fair Work Agency will be acting as a regulatory body and will be empowered to impose significant fines on non-compliant employers.
For Academic staff annual leave entitlement is a minimum of 28 days paid annual leave (inclusive of all public holidays and any locally agreed fixed closure days, pro-rata'd for part-time staff and taken ‘by agreement’ with the department)
From April leave must be recorded on PeopleXD where it is available or whatever system is used by your department.
Your departmental HAF/Divisional HR team can advise how this will work in practice in your own area.
