After 12 months on the job, you can ask your employer to swap annual leave for cash. You must ask in writing. They can say no and they do not need to give a reason.

You can ask to cash in leave several times a year, as long as the total is not more than a week’s leave. If you work irregular hours, you need to agree with your employer what a week means.

If your employment agreement says you have more than 4 weeks’ annual leave, your employer might let you cash in some of the extra leave. It depends on their leave policy.

Your employer cannot force you to cash in annual leave.

Cashing up annual holidays

Your employer can make you take annual leave as a paid holiday.

When you want to take leave

Leaving a job

The only other time you’ll get cash for your leave is when you leave your job. Your employer pays you for any leave you’ve earned and have not taken.

Your last pay when you leave a job