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How to get 55 days off work in 2024 using only 25 days of annual leave

Time to hack the system.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 24th November 2023

Whether you can believe it or not, we’ll be getting ready to say welcome in December by this time next week.

And that also means in won’t be long before 2024 arrives either.

2023 has been quite the year, and with the working world getting ready to wind down for the festive season, many are no doubt already looking ahead to the new year, and planning all the holidays and time off work they want to book.

Fancy making the most of it though? For those looking to play their cards right and hack the system a little bit, travel insurance price comparison platform PayingTooMuch has worked out a way to secure yourself a whopping 55 days off work using just 25 days of your annual leave allowance – and it’s pretty impressive.

With most full-time employees who work a five-day week having a minimum of 28 days (5.6 weeks) of paid annual leave each year, travel experts at the company have figured out how these people can effectively double their time off in 2024.

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Here’s how it works.

There’s a way to get 55 days off in 2024 using only 25 days of annual leave / Credit: Behnam Norouzi | Marissa Grootes (via Unsplash)

January

Saturday 30 December 2023 to Sunday 7 January 2024 – To extend your new year celebrations, you’ll want to book four days off at the start of the year for a total of nine days off.  

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Easter

Saturday 23 March to Sunday 7 April – With Good Friday falling on 29 March next year, you can enjoy a long Easter break of 16 days by only booking eight days off.   

May

Saturday 4 May to Monday 12 May or Saturday 25 May to Sunday 2 June – Thanks to the two bank holidays in May, there’s two ways for you to enjoy nine days off in a row by only using four days of annual leave. 

August

Saturday 24 August to Sunday 1 September – Here you can book just four days off in August to gain nine days off for a summer holiday.

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December

Saturday 21 December 2024 to Tuesday 1 January 2025 – To end the year on a high and give yourself the chance to properly enjoy the festive period with family and friends, you can book five days of annual leave to gain 12 days off in total.

There’s also loads of health-boosting benefits about taking time off from work / Credit: Towfiqu Barbhuiya (via Unsplash)

PayingTooMuch also spoke to Wellbeing Coach Lorna Wilkins to explore the health-boosting benefits of going on holiday and taking time off from work.

“One of the key health benefits of going on holiday is that it reduces stress,” Lorna explains.

“Having a break from your daily routine can make you feel more relaxed and therefore improve your mental wellbeing.

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“A change of environment and getting away from the pressures of day-to-day life not only helps you to clear your mind but can also help to improve your sleep quality as you’ll be feeling more relaxed.”

Featured Image – Jose Losada (via Unsplash)

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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.

With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.

But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.⁠

The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.

During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.

One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)

There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).

16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.

Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.

Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.⁠

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Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.

Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)

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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.

No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.

However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.

Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.

A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon

As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.

Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.

The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.

Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik

Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.

“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.

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“But with simple guidance and the right tools, we believe everyone can rediscover the joy and simplicity of homemade meals.”

Featured Image – gpointstudio (via Freepik)

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