Transitioning to the new leave cycle

Changes to the annual leave year

As you’ll be aware, we're moving to a single, consistent leave year for all staff. Starting August 2026, everyone's annual leave year will run from 1 August to 31 July.

The amount of annual leave staff are entitled to take will not change as a result of the new arrangements.

Having multiple leave cycles across the University creates unnecessary complexity for staff and managers. Moving to one consistent leave cycle will help us streamline our processes and create a better experience for everyone.

A period of transition

For colleagues currently on a January to December cycle the upcoming leave year will run from 1 January 2026 - 31 July 2026. The Flexi-time system has already been updated to reflect these changes.

Staff will not be losing any leave entitlement. Their leave will just be pro-rated from January to July to reflect this one-off shorter annual leave cycle.

To support colleagues during the transition period, additional flexibility will be provided. Staff may, with their manager's approval, carry forward up to 10 days of leave (pro rata) into the leave year beginning 1 August 2026. Colleagues may also borrow up to 7 days from their 2026/27 allowance during the reduced Jan - July leave year.

Recording annual leave

Colleagues using Flexileave to record annual leave will have their annual leave entitlement automatically adjusted to reflect the shorter year. Any carry over days from 2025 into 2026 will be input by colleagues in the central admin hub and will be reflected in the Flexileave system by 16 January 2026.

Colleagues using Kronos who manage annual leave through paper records will need to have their annual leave adjusted for the period of the 1 Jan to 31 July.

Here are the Frequently Asked Questions about the move to a uniform leave cycle. If you have any further questions please contact your local Admin Manager or hr-enquiries@york.ac.uk.