CIJC holiday entitlement to rise to 24 days by 2028 in two half-day steps

The Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC) has agreed a staggered increase in annual holiday for operatives covered by its Working Rule Agreement, adding a half day from 1 January 2027 and another from 1 January 2028.

The Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) trade body said the first step takes annual entitlement to 23.5 days plus eight bank holidays. The second step takes it to 24 days plus eight bank holidays from the start of 2028.

FIS said it will make an updated Holiday Entitlement document for 2027 available to its members in December.

Payment in lieu in 2027 only

The contractual wording describes each step as four hours rather than a half day, according to the Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS), which is run by the National Access and Scaffolding Confederation.

CISRS said a payment of four hours in lieu of the additional entitlement is permitted in 2027 only. The National Association of Shopfitters and Interior Contractors (NAS) said this option applies where managing the additional half day is operationally problematic.

Neither body reports any payment in lieu option for 2028, when the entitlement reaches 24 days.

Part of the 2026 pay settlement

Both NAS and CISRS reported the holiday changes alongside the CIJC's 2026 pay promulgation, which set new basic minimum rates from Monday 20 July 2026. CISRS said the rates were agreed between employers and trade unions through the Working Rule Agreement.

According to NAS, the Craft Rate weekly rate rose to £639.60 and the General Operative weekly base rate to £514.02. The subsistence allowance rose to £53.69 a night, and industry sick pay, paid on top of Statutory Sick Pay, rose to £174.66 a week.

The settlement arrived later than planned. The National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) reported on 25 June 2026 that the CIJC was still negotiating with the trade unions over the 2026 review of pay and conditions. NFRC said employers had made their final offer on 11 May and were awaiting a response, so the originally scheduled implementation date of 29 June was no longer achievable.

Three steps from 23 to 24 days

The 2027 and 2028 changes follow an earlier increase. FIS reported in January 2025 that the CIJC entitlement for that year was 23 days plus eight public or bank holidays, including an additional paid day added to bring the Working Rule Agreement in line with other industry agreements.

Year	Annual entitlement (excluding bank holidays)
2025	23 days
2027	23.5 days
2028	24 days

NAS said the CIJC's remit includes agreeing rates of wages and other salaries and fees for building and civil engineering operatives.

FIS describes itself as the not-for-profit representative body for the UK finishes and interiors sector, which it says has an annual turnover of £12bn and a workforce of 250,000 people. The body has more than 600 members drawn from contractors, manufacturers and distributors.

The first additional half day of holiday takes effect on 1 January 2027.