Carrying over and selling annual leave
Carrying over annual leave
For colleagues on Agenda for Change
With agreement from their line manager, colleagues on Agenda for Change may carry over up to one-week’s annual leave through to the next leave year (April 2026 - March 2027). This leave must be taken within the first month of the new leave year, unless otherwise agreed with your manager.
In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary for more than one week’s annual leave to be carried through to the next leave year. Where this occurs, this should be reviewed on an individual basis and where approved, must be taken within the first six weeks of the new leave year.
For Medical and Dental staff
Where career grade staff choose not to take their full annual leave entitlement each year, one week’s annual leave may be carried forward to the following leave year. Leave in excess of one week is not normally permitted to be carried over unless in exceptional circumstances and with permission of the CDG Medical Director or the Hospital Medical Director. All carried leave must be taken at a mutually agreed time.
Please note, there is a variation for resident doctors around the carrying over of annual leave, where the leave period is aligned to the placement and different arrangements are in place.
Please speak to your line manager if you wish to carry over annual leave to the 2026/2027 leave year.
Selling annual leave
The application process for colleagues to sell up to one week’s annual leave back to the Trust from the 2026/2027 annual leave year will be open from Monday 2 February until Friday 27 February.
If you purchased additional leave, but find you are unable to use it by the end of the annual leave year, you can carry over a maximum of five days. Please note, you will not be able to sell leave that you have purchased.
Please note, there is a variation for resident doctors for carrying over annual leave, due to the leave period being aligned to the placement period. As such, different arrangements are in place.
You can apply to sell annual leave via the following link:
All fields on the form must be completed before the form is submitted. Once submitted, the form will be sent to your line manager for approval.
Questions and answers
Can a request be made to sell annual leave as well as carry over annual leave?
Yes, this can be requested, however colleagues must not have less than the legal entitlement of 20 days to take as annual leave, either taken or booked between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. This will be pro rata for part time colleagues.
Colleagues should also ensure they have enough annual leave either planned or available to book to allow adequate rest before 31 March 2026.
How will the rule regarding staff not having less than the legal entitlement of 20 days to take as annual leave be enforced?
Colleagues are responsible for checking that their own annual leave requests do not leave them with less than 20 days either taken or booked in the 2025/2026 leave year. Staff with lower annual leave entitlements (e.g. 27, or 29 days) will be able to sell/carry over less.
Managers are responsible for confirming that any requests do not leave their staff members with less than 20 days either taken or booked in the 2025/2026 leave year.
Requests that leave staff with less than 20 days must be declined and/or revised to ensure that colleagues have 20 days statutory annual leave either taken or booked in the 2025/2026 leave year.
| A/L Entitlement (Days) | Maximum Carry Over & Sell Back (Days) |
|---|---|
| 27 | 7 |
| 29 | 9 |
| 33 | 10 |
What if a request to sell annual leave is rejected?
The approving manager will provide a rationale for the rejection and must also discuss their reasons with the staff member who submitted the request.
My staff do not have access to the online form, how can they apply to sell their leave?
Managers are able to complete the application on behalf of their staff who do not have access to a computer/internet during work. The same consideration and approval will be required.
When will sold annual leave be paid, and how will I receive this?
Sold annual leave will be paid as a lump sum in April 2026. This will be reflected on the payslip.
What rate will sold annual leave be paid at?
The rate of pay will be calculated on the staff member's basic salary as at 31 March 2026 for those on Agenda for Change, and on standard contractual pay as at 31 March 2026 for medical and dental staff (in accordance with their rota template/job plan).
Will there be any deductions from the payment?
Yes, standard income tax and national insurance deductions will be made from the payment.
Will the payment be pensionable?
No, the payment is not pensionable.
Can leave already booked be cancelled, if the staff member cannot use it before 31 March 2026?
Any requests for cancelling annual leave should be discussed and consideration given as to the reason for the cancellation.
Staff may carry untaken leave over following a discussion and agreement with their manager and/or have the option to sell one week of annual leave by completing the application no later than Friday 27 February 2026. Please note however, in the interests of staff wellbeing, a line manager will need to consider the interests of occupational health, safety and wellbeing of all staff.
Can staff on long-term sickness absence carry over their contractual annual leave?
Staff on long-term sickness are supported to take annual leave in order to maintain their physical and mental health and wellbeing through rest and recuperation.
However, in circumstances where an individual does have untaken leave, they may sell up to one week/12 PAs of leave (pro rata for part time staff) and/or carry over untaken leave by specific agreement with their manager. Staff may want to consider using annual leave in advance of any return from absence and to phase their return back in to work activity. Managers of staff who have been on long-term absence should discuss the return to work reorientation plan with individuals, recognising that a return after any significant period of time out of the workplace needs a period of resettling and adjustment, and also recognising that some staff returning may experience heightened anxiety.
My line manager has recorded me as having booked annual leave on the roster without discussing this with me first. Can they do this?
Managers cannot book leave for staff without having the discussion with the member of staff first.
If the manager is worried about the staff member not utilising their annual leave proportionately and are concerned that they are not getting their rest breaks, then the manager should arrange to discuss these concerns with the member of staff in the first instance and agree a plan on how they can take their remaining annual leave days.
If a member of staff is unhappy about a decision made on their request for selling annual leave, they should discuss this with the approving manager in the first instance.
If there is no resolution, they can write to the People Directorate Advisory Team by email for their request to be independently reviewed. The outcome of that independent review will be final.