Quick answer
Annual holidays do not always reset on 1 January.
Many employers use one of these approaches:
- calendar year: 1 January to 31 December
- tax-year style cycle: 1 April to 31 March
- employment anniversary or custom leave year
- academic or operational cycle in some sectors
Why it matters
If you assume the wrong reset date, you might:
- lose unused leave
- overbook time off
- misunderstand carry-over
- plan a break with the wrong balance in mind
Common leave year reset patterns
1. Calendar year
This is the easiest model:
- leave resets every 1 January
2. Financial or company year
Some employers align leave with:
- 1 April to 31 March
- another internal business year
3. Employment anniversary
Some employers base leave on:
- your start date
- your contract anniversary
- a prorated accrual cycle
How to check your real reset date
Look in:
- your contract
- employee handbook
- HR portal
- leave policy
- payroll or HR team guidance
What about carry-over?
Carry-over rules vary.
Common examples:
- no carry-over allowed
- a limited number of days can roll over
- carry-over only with manager approval
- carry-over allowed in special circumstances
Final thoughts
Annual holidays do not always reset at the start of the calendar year. The safest move is to check your actual leave cycle before booking time off. This is exactly the kind of thing Offdays is built to make clearer, especially if your leave year is not a simple January to December pattern.