Moving between NHS trusts is a normal part of career progression. Whether you're chasing promotion, relocating, or looking for a fresh start, changing employers within the NHS shouldn't mean losing the benefits you've built up — including your annual leave entitlement. But the transition isn't always seamless, and misunderstandings about how leave transfers can leave you out of pocket.
This guide explains exactly what happens to your annual leave when you change trusts, how continuous service works, and what you need to do to protect your entitlement.
Continuous service carries over
Under Agenda for Change, your annual leave entitlement is based on continuous NHS service — not service with a single employer. This means when you move from one NHS trust to another, your years of service should transfer with you. If you had 6 years of service at your old trust (entitling you to 29 days), you should start at your new trust with the same 29-day entitlement.
This applies to all NHS employers in England covered by Agenda for Change, including:
- NHS trusts and foundation trusts
- Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and integrated care boards (ICBs)
- NHS England regional teams
- Community health services
- Mental health trusts
- Ambulance trusts
What about the private sector and non-NHS roles?
If you leave the NHS to work in the private sector — even in a healthcare role — and later return, your previous NHS service may or may not be recognised. There's no automatic right to have private-sector service counted. However, some trusts have local policies allowing them to recognise previous NHS service after a break, particularly for hard-to-fill roles.
Always raise this during the recruitment process. If your previous NHS service is significant (putting you in a higher leave tier), ask the new trust to confirm in writing that it will be recognised before you accept the offer.
What happens to unused leave when you resign
When you leave a trust, your unused annual leave is settled in one of two ways:
- Payment in lieu: Your old trust pays you for any accrued but untaken leave in your final pay packet. This is calculated based on your daily rate multiplied by the outstanding days or hours.
- Deduction for over-use: If you've taken more leave than you'd accrued by your leaving date, the excess may be deducted from your final salary.
The calculation is straightforward. If you leave six months into the leave year, you've accrued half your annual entitlement. If your entitlement is 29 days, you've accrued 14.5 days. If you've only taken 10 days, you'll be paid for 4.5 days. If you've taken 18 days, 3.5 days may be deducted.
Negotiating your start date
Some staff negotiate their start date at the new trust to allow a gap for using up remaining leave at their old trust. This avoids the tax implications of a lump-sum payment in lieu (which is taxed as normal earnings and may push you into a higher tax bracket for that month).
Leave year alignment between trusts
Not all NHS trusts use the same leave year. While many align with the financial year (April to March), others use January to December or a different cycle. When you move between trusts with different leave years, things can get complicated.
Your new trust should calculate your entitlement for the remaining months of their leave year, starting from your joining date. If you've already taken leave at your old trust during the overlapping period, this should be taken into account — but it's your responsibility to inform your new employer how much leave you've already used.
Top tip: keep records
Before you leave your old trust, download or screenshot your leave balance, leave history, and any HR correspondence about your entitlement. Having this documentation makes it much easier to resolve any disputes at your new trust.
Protecting your service date
Your service date determines your leave tier. Getting it wrong can cost you two or four extra days of leave per year — every year. Here's how to protect it:
- Ask for a service certificate from your old trust before you leave. This confirms your continuous service start date and is the most reliable evidence.
- Check your new contract — your service date should be stated. If it shows only your start date at the new trust, raise it immediately with HR.
- Keep your payslips — some trusts show continuous service dates on payslips, which can serve as supporting evidence.
- Contact the NHS Pensions Agency if you can't get confirmation elsewhere — your pension record tracks your NHS service history.
Gaps between trusts
A short gap between finishing at one trust and starting at another doesn't automatically break your continuous service. Under Agenda for Change, breaks of up to one week are generally considered continuous. Many trusts extend this to one month, and some are more generous still — particularly if the gap is due to circumstances beyond your control.
However, gaps of several months can be problematic. If you take a long break between NHS roles, your new trust is not obliged to recognise your previous service for leave purposes. They may choose to — and many do — but it's discretionary. Always clarify this before accepting a role.
Returning after a career break
Formal career break schemes, offered by many trusts, protect your continuous service date. If you took a career break rather than resigning, your service should resume seamlessly when you return. If you resigned but are returning after a short break, ask HR to exercise discretion in recognising your previous service.
Moving between NHS nations
If you move between NHS England and NHS Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, your service recognition depends on the receiving nation's policies. Generally, NHS service across the UK nations is recognised for pension purposes, but annual leave recognition can vary.
In practice, most trusts are pragmatic about this. If you can evidence your service length, most employers will honour it. But it's not guaranteed — so confirm in writing before you start.
Practical checklist for changing trusts
- Before leaving: Request a service certificate. Note your leave balance and leave taken. Check for any carry-over or leave owed.
- During recruitment: Confirm your service date with the new trust. Ask about leave year dates. Negotiate start timing if needed.
- After starting: Check your first payslip and leave balance. Verify your entitlement matches your service length. Raise any discrepancies with HR immediately.
- Use our Annual Leave Calculator to calculate what your entitlement should be — then compare it against what your new trust allocates.
Don't lose what you've earned
Your annual leave entitlement is a valuable benefit. At the highest tier, those extra days are worth thousands of pounds in real terms. By understanding how service transfers work and taking proactive steps to protect your records, you can move between trusts with confidence. Use our Annual Leave Calculator to verify your entitlement at any point, and explore our NHS Pay Calculator if you're comparing offers from different trusts.