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Annual Leave Email Template

TL;DR

Annual leave is the UK and Commonwealth phrasing for paid time off. The structure of the email is the same as a vacation auto-reply, but the register is slightly more formal — 'kind regards' rather than 'thanks', 'on cover' rather than 'covering for me.' UK workers are entitled to a statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year (which includes 8 bank holidays). The auto-reply should mention bank holidays if they fall within your leave window.

When to use this template

Use the annual leave template if your workplace uses UK/Commonwealth conventions ('annual leave' rather than 'vacation' or 'PTO'). The auto-reply runs for the duration of the leave. Send a separate notification to your team manager confirming dates if your workplace doesn't have an automated leave-tracking system.

Annual Leave email templates

Scenario 1

Standard annual leave request to manager

Subject

Annual leave request — [dates]

Body

Hi [Manager],

I'd like to take annual leave from [start date] to [end date] inclusive, returning on [return date]. That's [N working days].

Coverage suggestions:
• [Project / responsibility 1] — [colleague] is happy to cover (already spoken to them)
• [Recurring meeting] — please consider whether [colleague] should attend in my place
• [Ongoing item] — can wait until I'm back

The leave includes [N bank holidays / no bank holidays]. I'll book it in the leave system once you've approved.

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Scenario 2

Annual leave auto-reply — short break

Subject

On annual leave until [return date]

Body

Hi,

Thank you for your email. I'm on annual leave until [return date] and will respond when I'm back at my desk.

For anything urgent, [colleague] is on cover and can be reached at [email].

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Scenario 3

Annual leave auto-reply — including bank holiday

Subject

On annual leave through [return date] — bank holiday included

Body

Hi,

Thank you for your message. I'm on annual leave through [return date], which includes the [bank holiday name] bank holiday on [date].

For matters that can't wait, [colleague] is on cover at [email]. Everything else will get a reply when I'm back — please bear with the slight delay as I work through the catch-up.

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Tips for writing a better annual leave email

  • 1'Annual leave' is the British and Commonwealth term — use it if your workplace does. 'PTO' and 'vacation' are the American equivalents.
  • 2Mention bank holidays explicitly if they fall in your leave. UK workers get statutory pay for bank holidays, and counting them correctly matters for leave-balance tracking.
  • 3'On cover' is the UK equivalent of 'covering for me' — more natural in a British workplace.
  • 4'Kind regards' is the standard British sign-off for professional emails. Save 'Best' for the US side of the Atlantic.
  • 5Book leave well in advance for popular periods (summer, Christmas, half-term breaks). Most UK employers require 2x notice — i.e., 2 weeks' notice for 1 week of leave.

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Frequently asked questions

How much annual leave am I entitled to in the UK?

UK statutory minimum is 5.6 weeks (28 days for a 5-day work week), inclusive of the 8 bank holidays. Many employers offer more (typically 25-30 days plus bank holidays for office roles). Part-time workers get pro-rated entitlement. You can carry over a small amount of unused leave in some cases, but most contracts require it to be used in-year.

Is annual leave the same as PTO?

Functionally yes, but the framing differs. 'Annual leave' (UK/Commonwealth) refers specifically to vacation entitlement separate from sick leave. 'PTO' (US) often combines vacation, sick days, and personal time into a single pool that you draw from. The UK structure is usually more generous in absolute days, but the categories are stricter.

Do I need to give a reason for taking annual leave?

No. Annual leave is your statutory entitlement, and you don't need to justify what you're doing with it. Most UK managers will ask for general timing context ('a long weekend in May') for coverage planning, but the specifics of your trip are your business.

Related email templates

Vacation Auto-Reply Email Template →

Use a vacation auto-reply when you'll be away from work for two or more days on personal time off — not on business travel, not on extended leave. For trips longer than 10 days or leave for a specific reason (parental, medical, sabbatical), use the more specific templates linked below.

Out of Office Email Template →

Set up an out-of-office (auto-reply) email when you'll be away from work for a full day or longer — vacations, parental leave, business trips, extended PTO, or personal leave. Most email clients let you schedule the start and end dates.

Holiday Shutdown Email Template →

Use a holiday shutdown template for company-wide closures during major holidays — end-of-year (Dec 24-Jan 2), Christmas, summer shutdowns (common in some European countries), and similar periods where the entire company is offline. Don't use this for individual vacation; use the vacation auto-reply instead.

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