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UK Bank Holidays 2026: Full List of Dates by Nation
UK bank holidays in 2026 total 8 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland (10 with its one-off World Cup day) and 10 in Northern Ireland. Dates differ by nation, so find yours below. Bank holidays are also called public holidays or “bank hols”.
| Date | Holiday | Day | Days Remaining |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 November 2026 | Thanksgiving Day 2026 ★ | Thursday | 26 days |
| 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day - Countdown 2026 ★ | Friday | 55 days |
| 26 December 2026 | Boxing Day 2026 ★ | Saturday | 56 days |
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When Is the Next UK Bank Holiday?
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have no bank holiday between the Summer bank holiday on Monday 31 August and Christmas Day on Friday 25 December 2026. Scotland has one extra stop in between: St Andrew’s Day on Monday 30 November. The live box at the top of this page always shows the next date.
Is Today a Bank Holiday?
Today is not a bank holidayEngland and Wales Bank Holidays 2026
England bank holidays 2026 and Welsh bank holidays are identical: 8 days in total. Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, so Monday 28 December is the substitute day.
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 31 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Scotland Bank Holidays 2026
Scotland follows a different calendar from the rest of Great Britain. It has no Easter Monday, but it adds 2 January and St Andrew’s Day. Its Summer bank holiday falls on the first Monday of August, four weeks before England’s.
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 2 January | Friday | 2nd January |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 4 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 15 June | Monday | One-off World Cup bank holiday |
| 3 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 30 November | Monday | St Andrew’s Day |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
St Andrew’s Day falls on its normal date in 2026, Monday 30 November. It is not a substitute day this year. The 15 June holiday applies to Scotland only. England, Wales and Northern Ireland work as normal that Monday, and paid time off still depends on your contract.
Northern Ireland Bank Holidays 2026
Northern Ireland has 10 bank and public holidays, the most of any UK nation. It adds St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne. The Boyne date, 12 July, falls on a Sunday in 2026, so nidirect lists Monday 13 July as the day off.
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 17 March | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 3 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 13 July | Monday | Battle of the Boyne (substitute day) |
| 31 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
UK Bank Holiday Weekends 2026
A bank holiday weekend is a Saturday to Monday block, or a Friday to Monday block, with a bank holiday at one end. Most fall on Mondays, so they create three-day weekends without using leave.
| Weekend | Dates | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| New Year (4 days) | Thursday 1 – Sunday 4 January | Scotland |
| Easter (4 days) | Friday 3 – Monday 6 April | England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| Easter (3 days) | Friday 3 – Sunday 5 April | Scotland |
| Early May | Saturday 2 – Monday 4 May | All UK |
| Spring | Saturday 23 – Monday 25 May | All UK |
| World Cup | Saturday 13 – Monday 15 June | Scotland |
| Battle of the Boyne | Saturday 11 – Monday 13 July | Northern Ireland |
| Scottish Summer | Saturday 1 – Monday 3 August | Scotland |
| Summer | Saturday 29 – Monday 31 August | England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| St Andrew’s Day | Saturday 28 – Monday 30 November | Scotland |
| Christmas (4 days) | Friday 25 – Monday 28 December | All UK |
UK Bank Holidays by Month in 2026
Searching for a single month? This table shows which nations get a bank holiday each month. February, September and October have none anywhere in the UK.
| Month | Bank holidays | Nation |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1 January; 2 January | All UK; Scotland |
| February | None | – |
| March | 17 March | Northern Ireland |
| April | 3 April; 6 April | All UK; England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| May | 4 May; 25 May | All UK |
| June | 15 June | Scotland only |
| July | 13 July | Northern Ireland |
| August | 3 August; 31 August | Scotland; England, Wales, Northern Ireland |
| September | None | – |
| October | None | – |
| November | 30 November | Scotland |
| December | 25 December; 28 December | All UK |
How UK Bank Holidays Work
A bank holiday is a public holiday on which banks and many businesses close. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 sets the legal framework, and a Royal Proclamation can add one-off days. England and Wales share a list, while Scotland and Northern Ireland publish their own. Great Britain means England, Scotland and Wales, and the United Kingdom adds Northern Ireland. Good Friday and Easter Monday follow Easter, so their dates change every year.
What Is a Substitute Bank Holiday?
A substitute bank holiday is a weekday given in place of a holiday that lands on a weekend. It is normally the following Monday, so nobody loses the day.
Three substitutes apply in 2026:
- Boxing Day: Monday 28 December in all four nations, because 26 December is a Saturday.
- Battle of the Boyne: Monday 13 July in Northern Ireland, because 12 July is a Sunday.
- Christmas Day: no substitute is needed, as 25 December is a Friday.
2026 Leave Planning: Easter and Christmas Bridges
Easter fell early in 2026. Booking Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April and Tuesday 7 to Friday 10 April used 8 leave days for 16 days off, from Saturday 28 March to Sunday 12 April. Scotland has no Easter Monday, so its gain was smaller. May also brought two three-day weekends within three weeks, on 4 May and 25 May, which suited short breaks.
Christmas offers the next bridge. Friday 25 to Monday 28 December is already a four-day break. Add Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 December as leave and, with New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January 2027, you get ten days off in a row for three days of leave. Dates for the following year are on the UK calendar 2027 page.
Bank Holidays, Pay and Work: What the Law Says
There is no automatic legal right to paid time off on a bank holiday in the UK. Your contract decides. Many employers count bank holidays toward the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks of annual leave, while others give them on top. Part-time staff usually receive bank holiday leave pro rata. Retail, hospitality, healthcare and transport often stay open, and employers may offer enhanced pay or a day in lieu. Check dates against the official GOV.UK bank holidays page, which is updated when substitute days or special holidays are confirmed.
Do Banks, Shops and Trains Stop on Bank Holidays?
Bank branches close, and payment types such as CHAPS and Bacs do not process on a bank holiday, so transfers can arrive on the next working day. Cards and online banking keep working. Many supermarkets and high street shops open on reduced hours, though large stores in England and Wales must close on Christmas Day. Public transport often runs a Sunday-style timetable, so check operators before you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Bank Holidays 2026
Q: How many bank holidays are there in the UK in 2026?
A: England and Wales have 8, Scotland has 9 plus one one-off day, and Northern Ireland has 10. Each nation sets its own list.
Q: When is the next bank holiday in England?
A: After the Summer bank holiday on 31 August, England’s next is Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026. Boxing Day follows on Monday 28 December.
Q: Is there a bank holiday in June 2026?
A: Only in Scotland, on Monday 15 June. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have none, so 1 and 2 June are ordinary working days.
Q: Is Monday 15 June 2026 a bank holiday in England?
A: No. The 15 June bank holiday applies to Scotland only. England, Wales and Northern Ireland treat it as a normal Monday.
Q: Is 30 March or 6 April 2026 a bank holiday?
A: 6 April is Easter Monday, a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Monday 30 March is a normal working day.
Q: When are the May bank holidays in 2026?
A: Monday 4 May is the Early May bank holiday and Monday 25 May is the Spring bank holiday. Both apply across the whole UK.
Q: Why is Monday 28 December 2026 a bank holiday?
A: Boxing Day, 26 December, falls on a Saturday. Monday 28 December is the substitute day in all four nations.
Q: Are banks open on bank holidays?
A: Branches are closed. Online banking and card payments still work, but Bacs and CHAPS payments wait until the next working day.
Q: Do Scotland and Northern Ireland have the same bank holidays as England?
A: No. Scotland adds 2 January and St Andrew’s Day and has no Easter Monday. Northern Ireland adds St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
Q: Is it a bank holiday this weekend?
A: Check the live badge near the top of this page or the weekend table above. Most bank holiday weekends end on a Monday.
Chokri Hamouda runs Calendarena.com. He makes simple, printable calendar templates. His goal is to help people organize their time better. He updates the site with monthly and yearly calendars for users worldwide. Chokri focuses on making calendars that are easy to read and use. He also researches holidays and date systems to keep everything accurate.