# Vacation and Christmas allowance



## rui_freitas (Aug 20, 2008)

Hi! I just want to know if the UK employers pay to their workers, a Christmas and a vacation allowance. Or if they just pay one, or if they don't pay at all....

Here in Portugal they pay both, so we kinda have 14months of salary! 

But I know that in some UE countries, such thing does not happen, so that's why i've asked.


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## kaz101 (Nov 29, 2007)

In the UK I received paid holidays (vacations) of about 4 weeks a year but I certainly didn't get 14 months pay for 12 months! 

You may get a bonus at Christmas depending where you are working.

Regards,
Karen


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

No thats not common practice in the UK I'm afraid. People used to get a Christmas Bonus but I think even that is dying out now

As Kaz says, they pay at full rate for holidays, but the amount of weeks varies with your package


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## morten bonde (Jul 30, 2008)

In my first seven years in the UK I haven't heard of anyone getting paid a xmas allowance.

However, depending on your contract you can be lucky to have as much as 6 weeks paid holiday (plus 8-11 bank holidays depending on where you live).

Kind regards,
Morten Bonde

Culture Class


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## rui_freitas (Aug 20, 2008)

kaz101 said:


> In the UK I received paid holidays (vacations) of about 4 weeks a year but I certainly didn't get 14 months pay for 12 months!
> 
> You may get a bonus at Christmas depending where you are working.
> 
> ...


Do you think that in London, companies pay that Xmas bonus? But even if they pay, certainly it isn't another complete salary (ex. 2000£ salary + 2000£ Bonus). So in the Xmas if you want to go shopping, you have to pay from your salary...That sucks...

And about the vacations, are they obligatted to pay the time you're on vacations?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

When I worked in Germany, there was a vacation bonus (but half a month's pay, not a full month) and an end of the year bonus, that was referred to as a 13th month pay.

But other than Germany, I have not seen this done anywhere else I have worked (UK, France). As far as I know in Germany, it may be as much a matter of the national union contracts as labor law.
Cheers,
Bev


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## Stravinsky (Aug 12, 2007)

rui_freitas said:


> Do you think that in London, companies pay that Xmas bonus? But even if they pay, certainly it isn't another complete salary (ex. 2000£ salary + 2000£ Bonus). So in the Xmas if you want to go shopping, you have to pay from your salary...That sucks...
> 
> And about the vacations, are they obligatted to pay the time you're on vacations?


In the package you are offered you will get a paid leave for a number of days. Then you get the National Holidays as well which are paid.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

rui_freitas said:


> Hi! I just want to know if the UK employers pay to their workers, a Christmas and a vacation allowance. Or if they just pay one, or if they don't pay at all....
> 
> Here in Portugal they pay both, so we kinda have 14months of salary!
> 
> But I know that in some UE countries, such thing does not happen, so that's why i've asked.


You may not get 14months pay for 12months work 

But if you work it out with 10 (2 working weeks) bank holidays and then 30 days annual holiday entitlement (6 working weeks) you get paid 12months pay for 10months work. 

And in my place some people manage to get 12months pay for no work at all


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