Can my employer make me take my holidays when they want, rather than when I'd like?

Yes. You do not have the absolute right to choose when you take your holiday, and your employer can tell you when to take your leave.

However, your employer has to give you two days' notice of this for every day they want you to take. So if your employer is telling you that you must take four days' holiday, they need to give you eight days' notice of this.

Your employer can refuse your request for a specific holiday date, but you cannot turn down your employer's instruction to take leave if they give you the correct notice.

This is not very fair, but it is not that common for employers to do this.

Many more employers are likely to have rules about when you can take leave - for example they may forbid leave at busy times of year such as the run up to Christmas or during other holiday periods, have a system that ensures that critical tasks are always covered or simply reserve a right to say no to indidvidual requests.

Some restrictions are not unreasonable, but they should not be operated in a way that discriminates unfairly. And it is good practice to make the rules as clear as possible, to have a clear justification for them and operate them consistently and fairly.

Your contract of employment, staff handbook or intranet will have details.