The Leavely resource library
Clear answers for the people side of work.
Practical HR guides, useful examples and the next steps to take. Built for the everyday decisions UK employers make.
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Common questions, clearly explained
01 Sickness and absence
Statutory Sick Pay UK: rates and rules for 2026/27
Current SSP rates, first-day entitlement, eligibility, fit notes and worked examples for employers, checked against GOV.UK in September 2026.
Read guide02 Holiday and pay
Annual Leave Entitlement in the UK: The Complete Guide for 2026
Statutory annual leave, pro-rata calculations, bank holidays, carry-over rules, and common employer mistakes.
Read guide03 Family leave
Maternity leave UK: entitlement, pay and planning in 2026
Maternity leave and pay explained for employers: 52 weeks of leave, current 2026/27 SMP rates, eligibility, start dates and holiday planning.
Read guideAll guides
75 guides
Best HR Software for Small Businesses: UK Buying Guide
Define the workflows you need, compare total costs and plan your move to a new HR system.
UK Bank Holidays 2026: Complete List for Employers
Full list of 2026 bank holidays for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland with employer guidance.
Annual Leave Entitlement in the UK: The Complete Guide for 2026
Statutory annual leave, pro-rata calculations, bank holidays, carry-over rules, and common employer mistakes.
Maternity leave UK: entitlement, pay and planning in 2026
Maternity leave and pay explained for employers: 52 weeks of leave, current 2026/27 SMP rates, eligibility, start dates and holiday planning.
Paternity leave UK: current rights and pay in 2026
Current paternity leave rules: day-one leave entitlement, one-week blocks, the 52-week window and separate statutory pay eligibility.
Shared Parental Leave UK: planning leave and pay
Understand the shared leave and pay pools, current ShPP rate, booking blocks and employer planning for Shared Parental Leave.
Adoption leave UK: entitlement, pay and employer planning
Statutory adoption leave and current 2026/27 pay rates, eligibility differences, placement dates and a practical employer checklist.
Sick leave policy UK: a practical employer guide
Build a clear sickness policy covering reporting, current SSP rules, fit notes, sensitive records and a supportive return to work.
Compassionate leave UK: rights, pay and a humane process
Understand compassionate leave, statutory time off for dependants, parental bereavement rights and how employers can respond consistently.
Parental bereavement leave UK: entitlement and support
Parental bereavement leave, the 56-week window, current statutory pay and a considerate process for employers supporting a bereaved parent.
TOIL Policy UK: Time Off in Lieu Explained (2026 Guide)
How TOIL works in UK employment law, policy creation, tracking, and common pitfalls.
Unpaid leave UK: statutory rights and company agreements
Distinguish unpaid parental leave, carer's leave, dependants emergencies and discretionary time off, with the current day-one parental leave rule.
Study Leave UK: Employer Guide to Time Off for Training
Study leave entitlement, training rights, policy design, and clawback clauses.
Jury service leave UK: an employer's practical guide
Allowing time off for jury service, explaining pay, handling requests to defer and planning cover without assuming a fixed trial length.
Garden Leave UK: How It Works & What Employers Need to Know
Garden leave clauses, employee rights, holiday accrual, and restrictive covenants.
Bradford Factor Explained: How to Calculate and Use It
What the Bradford Factor is, how to calculate it, trigger points, and best practices.
Absence Management Policy UK: Complete Guide & Template
How to create an absence management policy with trigger points, formal stages, and a free template.
Return-to-Work Interview Questions: Free Template for UK Employers
Free RTW interview template with questions, best practices, and documentation tips.
Phased Return to Work UK: Plan, Pay & Hours Calculator
Build an agreed phased-return plan with worked weekly and shift examples, an hours calculator, and clear guidance on pay, sick pay and holiday.
Occupational sick pay UK: designing a clear policy
Explain company sick pay clearly: contractual entitlement, interaction with SSP, allowance tracking and fair policy administration.
Holiday pay calculation UK: choose the right method
Calculate holiday pay for fixed, variable and irregular working patterns, with current reference-period rules and clear worked examples.
Carrying over annual leave UK: rules and practical examples
When annual leave must carry over, how sickness and family leave differ, and how to record carry-over amounts and expiry dates.
Annual leave during notice: booking time off before leaving
Manage holiday requests during a notice period, check the final balance and distinguish holiday, garden leave and payment in lieu.
Working Time Regulations UK: hours, rest and records
The main adult working-time rules: the average 48-hour week, rest breaks, daily rest, weekly rest and the records employers need.
Part-Time Workers' Rights UK: Leave, Pay & Employer Obligations
Part-Time Workers Regulations, pro rata benefits, discrimination risks, and compliance.
Flexible working UK: a clear process for employer decisions
Current flexible working rules: day-one requests, two applications in 12 months, the two-month decision period and written outcomes.
How to Create a Leave Policy UK: Free Template & Guide (2026)
Step-by-step guide with free leave policy template covering all leave types.
Employee Wellbeing Strategy UK: A Practical Guide for SMBs
Physical, mental, and financial wellbeing — practical actions for small businesses.
Duvet Days: Should Your Business Offer Them? (UK Guide)
What duvet days are, pros and cons, and how to set up a policy.
Sabbatical Leave UK: How to Create a Policy That Works
Sabbatical policies, paid vs unpaid, benefits, risks, and key policy elements.
Managing Leave for Remote Workers: UK Employer Guide
Challenges, best practices, and tools for managing leave in remote and hybrid teams.
Managing Summer Holidays: How UK Employers Can Avoid Chaos
Peak leave season challenges, blackout periods, fairness, and communication tips.
Christmas Shutdown & Leave UK: Employer Guide (2026)
Can employers force leave during Christmas? Shutdown policies, notice requirements, and part-timer impact.
Mental Health Days at Work UK: Should Employers Offer Them?
Growing trend, legal position, sick leave vs mental health days, and policy design.
Unlimited Annual Leave UK: Does It Actually Work?
Pros, cons, UK legal considerations, and how to implement an unlimited leave policy.
Leave Management for UK Startups: What You Need from Day One
Minimum legal requirements, when to move from spreadsheets, and common startup mistakes.
Best Leave Management Software UK 2026: What to Look For
Key features, pricing, red flags, and what separates good tools from great ones.
HR Software for Small Businesses UK: What You Actually Need (2026)
Core features, pricing expectations, red flags, and how to evaluate HR platforms.
Best Rota Software UK 2026: Top 8 Staff Scheduling Tools Compared
Compare the best rota and shift scheduling tools for UK businesses, including pricing, features, and pros and cons.
Expense Management for Small Business UK: Complete 2026 Guide
HMRC rules, expense policies, receipt requirements, and the best expense management tools for UK SMBs.
Employee Performance Management Software UK 2026: Best Tools for SMBs
Goal setting, progress tracking, reviews, and the best performance management tools for UK small businesses.
How to Switch HR Software: Migration Guide for UK Businesses (2026)
Step-by-step guide to migrating to Leavely, with contract checks, cost comparisons and a switching checklist.
Staff Holiday Tracker UK 2026: Stop Using Spreadsheets
Why spreadsheets fail for leave tracking, what to look for in a holiday tracker, and how to switch.
Employee Onboarding Checklist UK 2026: Complete HR Guide + Free Template
Legal requirements, 5-phase checklist, common mistakes, and how to digitise onboarding for UK businesses.
Statutory Sick Pay UK: rates and rules for 2026/27
Current SSP rates, first-day entitlement, eligibility, fit notes and worked examples for employers, checked against GOV.UK in September 2026.
Time off for dependants UK: emergencies, pay and process
When employees can take time off for dependants, what counts as an emergency, whether it is paid and how to handle requests.
Shift Worker Holiday Entitlement UK: How to Calculate Leave for Irregular Hours
Hours-based vs days-based accrual, the 12.07% method, night shift calculations, and the Harpur Trust ruling.
Agency worker holiday rights UK: day one and week 12
Agency workers' holiday rights from day one, equal treatment after 12 qualifying weeks and the records agencies and hirers should share.
Fit notes UK: what employers should ask and record
When to request a fit note, who can issue one, how to handle late evidence and how to discuss a supported return to work.
Disability-related absence: reasonable adjustments at work
A practical process for discussing disability-related leave, medical appointments, attendance triggers and reasonable adjustments with employees.
Zero-hours contract holiday UK: accrual and pay
Holiday entitlement for zero-hours workers, the 12.07% accrual method, rolled-up pay rules and clear examples for employers.
Night shift workers' rights UK: limits and health checks
Identify night workers, apply the eight-hour limit, offer health assessments and keep the working-time records required for night shifts.
Holiday pay during notice: calculating the final payment
A step-by-step final holiday pay calculation covering accrued leave, pay rates, contractual extras and deductions for excess holiday.
Bereavement leave policy UK: what to include
Create a bereavement policy with clear leave and pay options, statutory rights, privacy preferences and a supportive return-to-work process.
Redundancy and annual leave UK: settling holiday correctly
How to reconcile holiday during redundancy, distinguish notice from termination and calculate payment for unused accrued leave.
Employee Handbook UK: What to Include (2026 Template Guide)
Legally required policies, recommended sections, common mistakes, and a section-by-section template for UK employers.
HR compliance checklist UK: employment essentials for 2026
A source-linked HR checklist for UK small businesses: employment terms, right to work, current pay and leave rules, records and 2026 changes.
ACAS Early Conciliation: What Employers Need to Know (2026 Guide)
The mandatory pre-tribunal process, settlement agreements, costs of defending a claim, and how audit trails protect you.
Leave Management for UK Charities: A Complete Guide (2026)
How UK charities can manage staff leave effectively. Covers statutory entitlements, part-time pro-rating, volunteers, and charity leave management software.
Best HR Software for UK Charities (2026 Guide)
A vendor-neutral guide to HR software for UK charities, covering role scope, varied working patterns, governance evidence, pricing and handover.
Absence Management for Charities: Reducing Costs Without Losing Compassion
How charities can manage employee absence fairly and affordably. Bradford Factor, return-to-work interviews, flexible working, and charity-specific absence policies.
Staff Management for Small Charities: A Practical Guide (2026)
How to manage staff in a small charity with 5-50 employees. Leave tracking, absence monitoring, GDPR compliance, and affordable HR tools.
Volunteers vs Employees: Leave Rights Explained (UK 2026)
Do volunteers get annual leave? Understand the difference between volunteer, worker, and employee leave rights in UK charities and CICs.
Leave Clash Detection: How to Prevent Understaffing (2026 Guide)
How department-level leave clash detection prevents understaffing. Real-time warnings, self-overlap blocking, and UK duty of care considerations.
Blackout Dates for Leave Management: Block Leave During Busy Periods
How to use blackout dates to restrict leave during critical business periods. Legal position, communication tips, and automatic enforcement.
Leave Approval Delegation: Keep Approvals Moving When Managers Are Away
How approval delegation prevents leave request bottlenecks. Set temporary delegates, automatic routing, and best practices.
Length of Service Entitlement UK: Extra Holiday Days for Long-Serving Staff
How to award extra holiday days based on years of service. Common UK structures, legal position, retention benefits, and automated calculation.
iCal Calendar Sync for Leave Management: See Who's Off in Google Calendar & Outlook
How iCal calendar sync works for leave management. Subscribe to team absence feeds in Google Calendar, Outlook, or Apple Calendar.
Accrual-Based Leave UK: Monthly vs Upfront Holiday Allowance (2026 Guide)
How accrual-based leave works in the UK. Monthly leave accrual vs upfront allowance, worked examples, and legal position.
Employee Self-Service in HR Software: Reduce Admin and Empower Your Team
What is employee self-service (ESS) in HR software? Benefits, security considerations, and how ESS reduces HR admin.
Minimum Notice Period for Leave Requests: How Much Notice Should Employees Give?
UK rules on minimum notice periods for annual leave requests. Employment Rights Act 1996, typical policies, and fair enforcement.
Right to work checks UK: a practical employer checklist
Choose the correct right-to-work check, verify work restrictions, keep dated evidence and schedule follow-up checks for time-limited permission.
Disciplinary procedure UK: a fair employer process
A practical disciplinary process covering investigation, notice, a fair hearing, written decisions and appeal, based on the Acas framework.
How to Calculate Holiday Entitlement UK: Step-by-Step (2026)
Statutory 5.6 weeks explained with worked examples for full-time, part-time, starters, and leavers.
Employment contract template UK: the essential terms checklist
Prepare employment terms with a day-one particulars checklist, a practical drafting table and the additional information needed within two months.
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