The Direct Answer
Yes, police forces can refuse annual leave requests for operational reasons, provided they act fairly and don't prevent an officer from taking their full yearly entitlement.
What the Police Regulations Say
The statutory framework for police leave is found in Police Regulations 2003, specifically Regulation 33 and Annex O. Under the Regulations, the timing of an officer's annual leave is subject to the approval of the Chief Officer (Chief Constable).
Management has a broad power to manage the workforce. This includes the power to set "leave embargoes" for major events or to limit the number of officers off per shift to maintain minimum safe staffing levels.
While the Chief Constable can refuse a specific request, they cannot refuse leave entirely. Officers are entitled by law to a set number of days per year based on their length of service. A Force that prevents an officer from taking their full entitlement within the financial year could be in breach of both Police Regulations and the Working Time Regulations.
What This Means in Practice
Leave management is one of the most common points of friction between officers and supervision. In a modern police force, leave is usually managed through a "quota" system—for example, only 2 officers from a team of 10 might be allowed off at any one time.
If you submit a request and the quota is already full, the Sergeant or Inspector has the right to refuse it. This is considered a routine management action driven by operational necessity.
Leave Embargoes
Forces often "block out" dates for known events (e.g., New Year's Eve, major international summits, or elections). During these periods, all leave requests are automatically refused unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Real-World Examples
Scenario 1: The Rota Quota
An officer requests a week off in July. Two other officers on their shift have already had leave approved for that week. The request is refused because "minimum strength" cannot be maintained.
Scenario 2: The Training Conflict
An officer is scheduled for a mandatory, one-week firearms re-accreditation course. They request leave for the same week. The Force refuses the leave because the training is critical for their role.
Scenario 3: The Blanket Ban
A Force declares that no leave will be allowed for any officer for the next three months due to an "ongoing staffing crisis." No specific incidents are cited.
Leave Entitlement Rules
If your leave is refused, you do not receive "compensation" in money. Instead, your entitlement remains in your "pot" to be used elsewhere. However, there are rules about how leave is accrued:
| Service Length | Annual Entitlement (Days) |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 years | 22 Days |
| 2 years or more | 25 Days |
| 5 years or more | 25 Days + (varies by force) |
| 20 years or more | 30 Days |
If constant refusals leave you with more than 5 days of leave at the end of the financial year, most forces allow you to carry over up to 5 days. If the force refused your leave and won't let you carry it over, they are effectively "stealing" your contractual entitlement—which is a major regulatory breach.
What Police Cannot Do
- Refuse All Requests Management cannot simply say "total leave ban" for an indefinite period without a specific, time-limited operational justification.
- Ignore Special Occasions While no day is "guaranteed," forces should make every reasonable effort to accommodate leave for events with protected characteristics (e.g., religious holidays, weddings, significant family bereavement).
- Arbitrary Refusal Refusal must have a reason. If a Sergeant refuses your leave but allows another officer with the same rank/role to book it five minutes later without justification, this is a fairness issue.
Regulation FAQs
How far in advance can they refuse leave?
A request can be refused as soon as it is submitted. There is no "grace period". However, the closer you get to the date, the more "unreasonable" a refusal or cancellation becomes without a critical operational exigency.
Can I challenge a refusal?
Yes. Your first step is an informal discussion with your supervisor to understand the reason. If you believe the refusal is unfair or discriminatory, you can raise an informal grievance or speak to your Federation representative.
What if I have already paid for my holiday but leave isn't "approved" yet?
Internal advice is always: "Do not book until leave is authorized." If you book before authorization and the request is subsequently refused, you generally have no entitlement to reimbursement from the force.
Can they refuse leave during my probation?
Yes. Probationers are subject to the same leave-approval rules as any other officer. In fact, many forces restrict leave during specific training blocks for new recruits.
Does the quota include officers on training or long-term sick?
Usually, yes. "Available strength" is the number of officers actually on the line. If three officers are on long-term sick, the remaining team will find it much harder to get leave approved as the quota for "away from duty" is technically already being used.
Cancelled Annual Leave
Rights when pre-booked leave is withdrawn.
Recall from Leave
Rules on being ordered back to duty while on holiday.
Cancelled Rest Days
Compensation rules for lost time off.
Can police force overtime?
Operational necessity and short-notice requirements.