The Danish statutory pension fund, ATP, has urged workers to claim their holiday allowance, as summer holidays approach.
In a recent press release, the Danish statutory pension fund ATP, which is also the entity which manages the country’s holiday allowance, has urged workers to claim their holiday allowance (feriepenge in Danish), as summer holidays approach.
ATP has stated that 1.4 million people in Denmark currently have unclaimed holiday allowance. An individual average of DKK 8,700 and a total of DKK 12 billion is currently waiting to be claimed.
As one of the requirements to claim the allowance is that you actually need to take time off work, ATP are issuing this statement now, as the school summer holidays, which start on June 29th, are fast approaching.
The CEO of ATP, Maria Damborg Hald, said that many may not be aware that they have holiday allowance saved up. In particular, hourly workers, or people who have recently changed jobs are urged to check their “feriekonto” (holiday account), to see if they’ve accrued any holiday. They further specify that it is the younger demographic, aged 18 to 29, who often forget to get the allowance paid out.
If the allowance isn’t withdrawn in time, the money will be transferred to holiday funds which, among other things, help to subsidize summer activities for children and teenagers, and provide financial aid for families otherwise unable to go on holiday.
What is holiday money?
Holiday allowance or directly translated; ‘Holiday money’, is a monthly contribution paid out of your salary into a special fund, depending on how much you earn.
The Danish Holiday Act (Ferieloven) provides the basis for paid holiday through accrued holiday pay. It is earned at the rate of 2.08 vacation days per month and you can claim back the money, provided you actually take a holiday from work.
Who is eligible?
Most salaried employees of a company registered in Denmark who pay Danish taxes are likely to receive holiday pay, as this means they will be covered by the Danish Holiday Act (the holiday law). You are not considered an employee if, for example, you are self-employed, are a board member of the company for which you work or are unemployed.
How can I claim it?
You earn vacation time at the rate of 2.08 vacation days (5 weeks a year) in the period September 1st-August 31st. You can then use your vacation in the same year that you earn it and up to December 31st the subsequent year – in other words, over a 16-month period. Put very simply, holidays which you have earned between September 1st 2025 and August 31st 2026, can be claimed until the end of 2026.
Any unused holiday allowance will go to a holiday fund such as Arbejdsmarkedets Feriefond (or “the labor market’s holiday fund” in English) or other private holiday funds. This fund subsidizes holiday activities for children and teenagers, and allows families in need of financial support to go on holiday.
In practice, holiday is claimed online over borger.dkDenmark’s public, online portal, which gives access to your digital post (from the tax authorities, hospitals, etc.), allows you to register a new address, order a passport or health insurance card (also known as your yellow card), enroll your children in nursery, kindergarten and school, and more.
To “book” your holiday allowance, choose the dates of your holiday and confirm. Your holiday can also be backdated. Money will be paid out within a week.
When can I take time off using this accrued vacation?
The Danish vacation year is further broken down so that there is a “main holiday period” which starts on May 1st and ends on September 30th. During this time, you are entitled to take three weeks’ consecutive vacation out of your five weeks.
A lot of people take three weeks in a row while others break it up – which is why you often hear Danish people who work full time wishing each other a “good summer holiday” as if it’s the end of the school term.
Outside of the main holiday period, the remaining 10 days of vacation can be taken whenever you like. You can take up to five days together but may also use the days individually.
Does my employer have a say?
Yes. If your employer wants to decide when you should take any of your vacation days, they have to let you know at least three months in advance for main holiday, or one month in advance for remaining holiday (barring exceptional circumstances, such as an unforeseen change to the company’s operations or if the company closes for the summer shortly after you begin employment).
If you have not earned paid vacation, you still have the right to take unpaid holiday.
