Research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found one in 14 UK employees – or 1.9 million people – do not get the minimum paid leave entitlement they are due.

More than one million workers do not get any paid leave at all.

Women are missing out more with 8.3 per cent of female employees getting too few holidays compared with 5.9 per cent of men.

The sectors worst affected are education, retail, and health and social care.

According to the TUC, the main reasons workers are missing out are: they are set unrealistic workloads that do not allow time to take leave, employers deliberately denying holiday requests, and employers not keeping up to date with the law.

Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC, said: “Every worker deserves a break to spend time off with friends and family. But millions are missing out on the paid leave they are owed.

“British workers put in billions of pounds worth of unpaid overtime as it is. Employers have no excuse for robbing staff of their leave.

“The government must toughen up enforcement to stop bosses cheating working people out of their holidays.”

UK workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks of paid leave.

The TUC said people who work excessive hours are at risk of developing heart disease, stress, mental illness, strokes, and diabetes, which also impacts on co-workers, friends, and relatives.