Minimum wage and holiday pay

Hi, I am being paid the minimum wage for a job I am doing (I am not self employed and the minimum is what I should be getting). My employer tells me that they have included my holiday pay in my pay so I will get no extra amount (we can't take holiday while the job is going on). Is that right, or does holiday pay have to be paid on top of the minimum wage? Thanks!

Is there anyone from HMRC who can help?

You are entitled to receive the NMW rate per hour of work. You are also entitled to paid holiday. If the employer has legally brought in rolled up holiday pay this will be in your contract and shown on the payslip as a separate line, paid each pay period, otherwise it breaches the rules. Do please call ACAS 0300 123 1100 if this is not happening

Hi Louise C,
When calculating national minimum wage pay, a worker’s total remuneration in a pay reference period is reduced by any payments made for periods of absence from work; for example, when they are sick or on holiday.
Holiday pay should initially be included in the worker’s total remuneration. If the worker takes the holiday, then how this is treated depends on whether the worker is performing salaried hours work, time work, output work or unmeasured work. For more information, please refer to: Calculating the minimum wage Working hours for which the minimum wage must be paid
However, if the worker does not take the holiday, the holiday pay will remain included in the total remuneration and there is no corresponding reduction when calculating National Minimum Wage pay.
Thank you.