As 2020 draws to a close and the UK begins to roll out a coronavirus vaccine, people will hopefully be able to take advantage of the easing restrictions in 2021 to make up for a year of lockdowns.

Many of us will be planning holidays and gatherings with friends and family who we haven’t seen as much as we’d have liked in the past nine months.

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So as a year of minimal travel, lockdowns and quarantines comes to an end, many Brits will be looking at their calendars ahead of 2021 and planning the best way to maximise their time off work.

With careful strategic planning and clever use of bank holidays, workers will be able to spend 48 days on holiday by using just 18 days of their annual leave allowance, according to HolidayPirates.

Christmas and Easter will offer the best opportunites to maximise your time off but if used correctly, a normal bank holiday allows you to book a block of nine days off by using just four days of your annual leave. 

The plan will only work if you work a standard Monday to Friday week and get bank holidays off.

So if you tend to work weekends and/or bank holidays, this plan isn't be for you but if you don't, then there are plently of extended breaks to be taken advantage of.

After such a challenging year amid the coronavirus pandemic, we are all overdue a break!

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So what are the days you need to book off with your boss to maximise your holiday allowance?

When to book

Christmas and New Year 2020/2021:

Book 29,30 and 31 December (take three days/ten days on holiday)

Easter 2021:

Book 6,7,8,9 April (take four days/ten days on holiday)

Spring Bank Holiday 2021:

Book 1,2,3,4 June (take four days/nine days on holiday)

August Bank Holiday 2021:

Take 31 August, 1,2,3 September (take 4 days/nine days holiday)

Christmas and New Year 2021/2022:

Take 29,30,31 December (take three days/ten days holiday)