Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has notified staff to (a) tell or (b) remind them that they can sell annual leave in the last four months.

DWP has an existing facility for colleagues to exchange untaken contractual leave for payment in the last month of their annual leave year. There is no consistent annual leave year for colleagues across DWP.

From 4 January to 31 January 2023, DWP is running a specific exercise where colleagues can voluntarily request a payment for a maximum of five days of untaken contractual annual leave that they do not want to take, regardless of when their annual leave year ends. Colleagues cannot request to be paid for statutory leave.

Taking part in the exercise is completely voluntary, employees physical and mental wellbeing remains a key priority for the department, and everyone is encouraged to use their annual leave to relax and recuperate wherever possible.

Colleagues were informed of this opportunity 4 January 2023, and reminders were issued 13, 25 and 27 January 2023.