The list of UK bank holidays at a glance
The table lists each regular bank holiday with the rule that sets its date, the regions where it applies and the next time it falls.
| Bank holiday | Usual rule | Where | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January; next weekday if it falls at a weekend | All UK | Fri 1 Jan 2027 |
| 2nd January | 2 January; moves if it falls at a weekend or clashes with New Year’s Day | Scotland | Mon 4 Jan 2027 |
| St Patrick’s Day | 17 March; next weekday if it falls at a weekend | N. Ireland | Wed 17 Mar 2027 |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter Sunday | All UK | Fri 26 Mar 2027 |
| Easter Monday | Monday after Easter Sunday | Eng & Wales, N. Ireland | Mon 29 Mar 2027 |
| Early May bank holiday | First Monday in May | All UK | Mon 3 May 2027 |
| Spring bank holiday | Last Monday in May | All UK | Mon 31 May 2027 |
| Battle of the Boyne | 12 July; next weekday if it falls at a weekend | N. Ireland | Mon 12 Jul 2027 |
| Summer bank holiday | First Monday in August (Scotland), last Monday in August (elsewhere) | All UK | Mon 2 Aug 2027 |
| St Andrew’s Day | 30 November; next Monday if it falls at a weekend | Scotland | Mon 30 Nov 2026 |
| Christmas Day | 25 December; substitute weekday if it falls at a weekend | All UK | Fri 25 Dec 2026 |
| Boxing Day | 26 December; substitute weekday if it falls at a weekend | All UK | Mon 28 Dec 2026 |
Who decides the bank holidays?
Three sources set the UK’s bank holidays. The first is the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, whose Schedule 1 lists the days for each jurisdiction, such as Easter Monday and the last Monday in August for England and Wales. The second is common law: Christmas Day and Good Friday are not on the Act’s list for England and Wales because they were customary holidays long before it. The third is royal proclamation. The monarch can add a day or move one, and this is how the early May bank holiday and one-off days such as jubilees are created.
The first bank holidays came from the Bank Holidays Act 1871, introduced by the banker and MP Sir John Lubbock. It named the days on which banks could close, which is where the term “bank holiday” comes from.
Why do Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank holidays?
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal systems, and the 1971 Act gives each jurisdiction a separate list.
Scotland has 2 January as well as New Year’s Day, and St Andrew’s Day on 30 November since the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. It does not have Easter Monday as a bank holiday, and its summer bank holiday is on the first Monday in August instead of the last. Scotland also has local holidays that vary by town or council area; they are not bank holidays and are not in the GOV.UK data.
Northern Ireland follows the England and Wales list and adds two days: St Patrick’s Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) on 12 July.
What happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?
A weekday becomes the bank holiday instead. GOV.UK calls it a substitute day and says it is normally the following Monday. When Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall at a weekend, the substitutes are the Monday and Tuesday, as in 2027 (27 and 28 December). Scotland’s St Andrew’s Day moves to the next Monday if 30 November is a Saturday or Sunday, as set out in the 2007 Act.
Easter Monday, Good Friday and the Monday holidays in May and August always fall on their weekday, so they never need a substitute.
One-off bank holidays
The monarch can proclaim an extra bank holiday or move an existing one for a national occasion. The GOV.UK data shows these recent examples:
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 8 May 2020 | Early May bank holiday moved to VE Day | All UK |
| Fri 3 Jun 2022 | Platinum Jubilee bank holiday | All UK |
| Mon 19 Sep 2022 | State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II | All UK |
| Mon 8 May 2023 | Coronation of King Charles III | All UK |
| Mon 15 Jun 2026 | World Cup bank holiday | Scotland only |
In 2022 the spring bank holiday also moved from the last Monday in May to Thursday 2 June, creating a four-day Jubilee weekend.
Are bank holidays public holidays?
In everyday use the two terms mean the same thing. Legally, bank holidays are the days set by the 1971 Act and by proclamation, while Christmas Day and Good Friday are common-law holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For workers the difference rarely matters: GOV.UK states that bank or public holidays do not have to be given as paid leave, and an employer can include them in the statutory annual leave.
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in the UK each year?
England and Wales have 8, Scotland 9 and Northern Ireland 10 in a normal year. A one-off bank holiday can add a day, as in Scotland in 2026.
Is St George’s Day a bank holiday?
No. St George’s Day (23 April) is not a bank holiday in England. St David’s Day in Wales (1 March) is not one either. St Andrew’s Day in Scotland and St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland are.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in Scotland?
No. Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland. Good Friday is a bank holiday in all three.
Sources: GOV.UK bank holidays data and Privy Council proclamations. Checked 4 November 2026.