Have you done it yet? Have you actually been on a plane since 2019?! Some of us may have taken the gamble throughout the pandemic – will my holiday get cancelled? Will I end up spending more on tests than on the actual vacation itself?! And a lot have been keeping tucked away safely at home, knowing that one day, they’ll be treating themselves to the most well-deserved break of all time!
Well, keep your voice down, let’s not let ‘Rona hear about this in case it decides to try and put a stop to these plans, here is our nifty little guide to maximising your annual leave to get allllll the holiday you can this year!
28 days is a decent 5 weeks of holiday – but how do you feel about up to 7 weeks, or more?!
If your employment contract says you have ’20 days leave and bank holidays’ then you have a cheeky extra day this year! If your contract says ’20 days leave and 8 bank holidays’, then you may not get the extra day, but the bank holidays still fall in a great way this year to help your time off go further!
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15th – 24th April
Good Friday is April 15th, and the 18th is Easter Monday.
By booking Annual Leave Tuesday-Friday (19th-22nd), you’ll be getting a 10 day holiday for just 4 of your days off!
Where should I go?
Although we might still be feeling a little chilly here in the UK, many of Europe’s cities will be starting to warm up and come into bloom! Head to the Greek islands to beat the summer crowds and feel the sun on your skin, or, since we’ve got a full 10 days, why not head further across the globe and check out the street food of Bangkok, Thailand, or a lesser-known safari in Namibia? If you’re a ski bum and you’ve not had enough of the slopes just yet, then Zermatt in the Swiss Alps will still be pretty in white, due to its high elevation.
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30th April – 8th May
Our May BH is Monday 2nd, so with a weekend sandwiched either side, and 4 days of leave, you can stretch to a 9 day holiday. (If you have the possibility of working remotely, then why not take the 2 remaining days of AL that we haven’t used up in this blog, and work remotely for a few, stretching 1 and 2 into one glorious 3 and a half week vacay?)
Where should I go?
Still ahead of the main summer season, why not book an AirBnB by the coast in Malta, and spend a couple of weeks exploring the island? Or go trans-atlantic and enjoy the bright lights of New York City – even taking an internal flight down to the Sunshine State, Florida, to top up the tan?
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28th May – 5th June
Thanks to the Queen’s Platinum jubilee, here is where we may be sneaking in our extra day! Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd are both bank holidays, so by making use of the weekends, and taking annual leave on the Monday-Wednesday, here you can grab another 9 days off
Where should I go?
With Spring having well and truly sprung, this is a great time to head north and explore the rugged wildness of the Scottish Highlands in all their beauty. Or if you’re wanting to get your summer kicked off in style, what about a beach break in the Bahamas or Cancun, Mexico?
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27th August – 4th September
This could well be the one for all you working parents out there – stretching out the family holiday before back-to-school time! Monday 29th August is the bank holiday, so 4 days off for the rest of the week, plus the 2 weekends gets you another 9 days
Where should I go?
The resorts are going to be heaving, so what about catching your sun elsewhere? Try Arizona, in the Southern US – sure to be baking hot and full of beautiful places to see, such as the Grand Canyon. Or if your kids really do need their beach time, allow me to personally recommend the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. May is the start of the rainy season, but the showers are just short and intense, and there’s plenty of tropical beach days to still be had!
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25th December – 2nd January
Don’t we love it when Christmas falls on a weekend?! This means that we’ll be getting bank holidays on Monday 27th & Tuesday 28th December .. by the same rule, Monday 2nd is a Bank Holiday too!
Where should I go?
If it’s a winter wonderland you’re after, then now is prime time for seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland. Cold city breaks can also be a great idea at this time of year – another personal recommendation would be Gdansk, Poland, where you can walk along the beach in the snow and enjoy the winter markets, or even head south down the country to Zakopane to experience the Tatra mountains. And of course, there always has to be an option for some sun, it’s always over 25 degrees C in Rio de Janiero, Cuba and Bali!
Here at PPF we are always ready to help answer your questions and explain ways to (legally) lower your tax bill! Want to find out more? Check out our YouTube channel for our Advice & Tax Tips or get in touch to explore working with us further!
