Nearly six million workers will now receive at least 28 days’ paid leave a year, which will include bank holiday entitlement.

Until now, companies have been able to dodge a statutory duty imposed on them in 1998 to give all workers 20 days’ leave a year by including the bank holidays.

But yesterday the Depart­ment of Trade and Industry confirmed that the bank holiday loophole would be closed.

However, unions accused the Government of “kow-towing” to employers after it emerged the new 28 days’ entitlement will come fully into force six months later than first planned.

Workers will get the first half of their extra entitlement from October this year. The other four will be given from April 2009 instead of October 2008.

What do YOU think? Is Britain a nation of workaholics?