August is no longer the dominant month for annual leave in Britain, with new data showing workers are spreading their summer holidays more evenly across July, August and September.
Figures from HR and payroll platform Employment Hero reveal that in 2025, August saw just 11 percent more leave requests than July, compared with almost a third more the previous year. The trend points to a levelling out of summer holiday patterns and a shift away from the traditional “August exodus”.
Employers are being warned that disruption from staff absences is no longer confined to August. With September breaks also on the rise, organisations are likely to face pressures over a much longer stretch of the summer.
July takes priority
The data, based on figures from the Office for National Statistics and comparison site TravelSupermarket, shows workers are booking July breaks earlier than before, overturning the idea of July as a last-minute holiday month. The average time between booking and taking July leave has increased year-on-year, indicating that employees are planning ahead to secure time off.
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In many cases, July is now being prioritised over August, marking a clear change in behaviour. Employment Hero said the change was particularly striking given that August still coincided with the school holidays, traditionally making it the busiest period for annual leave.
The pattern is also visible in booking data for 2026. Although still early, requests for July and August holidays next year are already at similar levels, suggesting July will remain just as important for workers trying to reserve their preferred dates.
Generational shifts in holiday habits
The analysis shows how different age groups are reshaping the summer break. For workers aged 45 to 54, the average number of days taken off in August has dropped from 5.8 in 2024 to 4.9 in 2025, which is a fall of 15 percent. This indicates older employees may be stepping back from peak-season holidays, potentially in response to higher travel costs or a preference for quieter periods.
Younger workers, meanwhile, appear to be driving the growth in September holidays. Employment Hero said early September 2025 bookings are already running 30 percent ahead of the same period in 2024. With school holidays over and demand lower, many are taking advantage of cheaper prices and less crowded destinations.
The generational differences point to a summer break that’s no longer concentrated in a single month but dispersed across a wider time frame, complicating scheduling for managers.
Rising costs play a role
The cost of travel appears to be influencing when employees choose to take leave. ONS statistics show airfares jumped 30 percent between June and July this year, while travel firm surveys reported August family package holidays rising by as much as 26 percent compared with 2024.
By delaying their trips to September, many workers are avoiding the steep price hikes seen during the school holiday period. Employment Hero said this was a significant factor behind the change, with staff choosing to stretch their holiday budget further by travelling later in the season.
Impact on employers
Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director at Employment Hero, said businesses needed to recognise that the summer disruption period was no longer limited to August.
“August is often seen as the big summer holiday month, but our data tells a different story,” he said.
“While there is still a lot of annual leave taken, it’s surprisingly low considering the whole month falls within the school holidays. The gap between July and August has narrowed significantly, showing that people are spreading out their time off – and with September breaks also on the rise, the traditional holiday peak is being reshaped.
“For employers, that means disruption isn’t confined to August anymore, so preparation for absences needs to extend across the summer.”
Experts say HR teams and line managers should manage leave requests more carefully and across a longer period. And with staff booking earlier, particularly in July, organisations may also need to adjust policies to ensure fairness and coverage.
Most popular leave dates
The data offers a glimpse into longer-term changes in workplace behaviour. While August still sees high numbers of requests, it’s no longer the unrivalled peak it once was. July and September are growing in importance, and early booking trends for 2026 suggest this pattern will continue.
Employment Hero’s analysis also identified the five most popular leave dates of 2025 so far. The first few days of January, Maundy Thursday in April and July 11 all made the list. Notably, no August date featured, not even around the late-summer bank holiday.
For businesses, it shows a clear need for broader summer planning, with holiday cover, workload management and project timelines all affected. As patterns evolve, the focus may move from managing a single “holiday month” to navigating a full summer season of staggered absences.
