Scotland Bank Holidays 2026 and 2027

Scotland’s next bank holiday is St Andrew’s Day on Monday 30 November 2026, a date the rest of the UK does not share. After that come Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and the Boxing Day substitute on Monday 28 December, then New Year’s Day on Friday 1 January 2027 and the 2 January substitute on Monday 4 January.

Bank holidays Scotland had in 2026

• New Year’s DayThu 1 Jan
• 2nd January Scotland onlyFri 2 Jan
• Good FridayFri 3 Apr
• Early May bank holidayMon 4 May
• Spring bank holidayMon 25 May
• World Cup bank holiday Scotland onlyMon 15 Jun
• Summer bank holiday Scotland onlyMon 3 Aug
• St Andrew’s Day Scotland onlyMon 30 Nov
• Christmas DayFri 25 Dec
• Boxing Daysubstitute dayMon 28 Dec

2026 is an unusual year with 10 bank holidays instead of the normal 9. The extra day was the one-off World Cup bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026.

Scotland bank holidays 2027

• New Year’s DayFri 1 Jan
• 2nd January Scotland onlysubstitute dayMon 4 Jan
• Good FridayFri 26 Mar
• Early May bank holidayMon 3 May
• Spring bank holidayMon 31 May
• Summer bank holiday Scotland onlyMon 2 Aug
• St Andrew’s Day Scotland onlyTue 30 Nov
• Christmas Daysubstitute dayMon 27 Dec
• Boxing Daysubstitute dayTue 28 Dec

The bank holidays Scotland has in 2027 are back to the normal 9. Three of them are substitute days: 2 January 2027 is a Saturday, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 4 January, and Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall at a weekend, so Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December 2027 are bank holidays instead. St Andrew’s Day is on Tuesday 30 November 2027.

How Scotland differs from England & Wales

Rows that differ are highlighted. Scotland and England share six bank holidays in 2027; the other dates depend on which side of the border you work.

Highlighted rows differ. 2027. Source: GOV.UK, checked 4 November 2026.

• 2 January is an extra bank holiday in Scotland only.
• Easter Monday is not a bank holiday in Scotland. Good Friday is.
• The summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August in Scotland (2 August 2027), four weeks before England and Wales.
• St Andrew’s Day on 30 November has been a bank holiday in Scotland since the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. When 30 November is a Saturday or Sunday, it moves to the following Monday. Details are on the St Andrew’s Day bank holiday page.

That gives Scotland 9 bank holidays in a normal year against 8 in England and Wales.

Which law sets the bank holidays in Scotland?

The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 has a separate list for Scotland in Schedule 1, paragraph 2: New Year’s Day, 2 January, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August, 30 November and Christmas Day. Unlike in England and Wales, Good Friday and Christmas Day are on the statutory list in Scotland.

Other days are added by royal proclamation. The proclamation for Scotland made in July 2026 appoints Monday 31 May 2027, the spring bank holiday, as well as Monday 28 December 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027 in place of Saturday 26 December 2026 and Saturday 2 January 2027.

The 2026 World Cup bank holiday

Monday 15 June 2026 was a bank holiday in Scotland only, marking the men’s national team taking part in the FIFA World Cup. The Scottish Government confirmed on 5 February 2026 that the King had approved the royal proclamation. It also said that “there is no law requiring banks or any other businesses to close”, and that employer policy on bank holidays is set out in contracts of employment. The day was a one-off and does not repeat in 2027.

Local holidays are not bank holidays

Many towns and council areas in Scotland have their own local holidays. They are not bank holidays, they are not in the GOV.UK data and they are not shown on this page. Whether you get a local holiday off depends on your employer, so ask your employer or local council for the dates that apply to you.

Frequently asked questions

Do you get bank holidays off in Scotland?

Not automatically. GOV.UK states that bank or public holidays do not have to be given as paid leave, and employers can count them towards statutory annual leave. Your contract or staff handbook says which days you get.

Is Boxing Day a bank holiday in Scotland?

Yes. Boxing Day is a bank holiday in all three UK jurisdictions. In 2026 it moves to Monday 28 December because 26 December is a Saturday.

Sources: GOV.UK bank holidays data and Privy Council proclamations. Checked 4 November 2026.

Read next

1. Is today a bank holiday in Scotland?
2. England and Wales bank holidays
3. New Year bank holidays
4. St Andrew's Day bank holiday