Because 12 July 2027 is a Monday, Northern Ireland gets a three-day weekend from Saturday 10 to Monday 12 July without a substitute day. GOV.UK lists the day as “Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)”.
What happens when 12 July falls at a weekend?
The bank holiday moves to a weekday, normally the following Monday. That is GOV.UK’s general rule for weekend bank holidays, and the Boyne dates follow it: 12 July 2025 was a Saturday, so the bank holiday was Monday 14 July; in 2026, 12 July was a Sunday and the holiday moved to Monday 13 July. 2020 had the same Sunday-to-Monday move.
| Year | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Tue 12 Jul |
| 2023 | Wed 12 Jul |
| 2024 | Fri 12 Jul |
| 2025 | Mon 14 Jul |
| 2026 | Mon 13 Jul |
| 2027 | Mon 12 Jul |
| 2028 | Wed 12 Jul |
| 2029 | Thu 12 Jul |
| 2030 | Fri 12 Jul |
| 2031 | Mon 14 Jul |
| 2032 | Mon 12 Jul |
Source: GOV.UK bank holidays data (confirmed years), checked 4 November 2026. Later years are calculated from the usual rules and marked provisional.
July 2027
- England & WalesNormal working day
- ScotlandNormal working day
- Northern IrelandBank holiday: Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
Is there a July bank holiday anywhere else in the UK?
No. The Battle of the Boyne holiday is one of Northern Ireland’s two extra bank holidays, together with St Patrick’s Day, which is why Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in a normal year against 8 in England and Wales. Scotland has local holidays, but they are not bank holidays, and Scotland’s summer bank holiday is in August.
For businesses with staff in more than one region, this matters: 12 July is a bank holiday in Belfast but not in Manchester, Cardiff or Glasgow. Whether staff in Northern Ireland get the day off with pay depends on their contract.
The next July bank holidays
In 2028, 12 July is a Wednesday, so the holiday falls midweek and does not create a long weekend. Two days of leave, Thursday 13 and Friday 14 July, give five days off in a row in Northern Ireland, from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 July 2028.
Frequently asked questions
Is 12 July a bank holiday in Scotland?
No. Scotland’s bank holidays do not include 12 July. Its summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August, Monday 2 August in 2027.
Is the July bank holiday a paid day off?
Not automatically. GOV.UK states that employers do not have to give paid leave on bank holidays, and they may count them as part of the statutory 5.6 weeks of annual leave.
Sources: GOV.UK bank holidays data and Privy Council proclamations. Checked 4 November 2026.