When are the next bank holidays?

For anyone in the UK who wants to know the dates of upcoming bank holidays.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

In England and Wales, the next bank holidays are Christmas Day (Friday 25 December 2026) and Boxing Day (substitute day, Monday 28 December 2026). In 2027: 1 January, Good Friday (26 March), Easter Monday (29 March), 3 May, 31 May and 30 August.

Scotland also has St Andrew's Day (30 November) and 2 January, and no Easter Monday.
Northern Ireland also has St Patrick's Day (17 March) and 12 July.
Employers don't have to give paid leave on bank holidays.

Key facts

Next: 25 and 28 Dec 2026
Good Friday 2027: 26 March
Rules differ by nation

Bank holidays left in 2026

Date	Holiday	Where
Monday 30 November 2026	St Andrew's Day	Scotland only
Friday 25 December 2026	Christmas Day	All of the UK
Monday 28 December 2026	Boxing Day (substitute day)	All of the UK

Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December.

Bank holidays in 2027

Date	Holiday	England and Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
Fri 1 January	New Year's Day	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mon 4 January	2nd January (substitute day)	No	Yes	No
Wed 17 March	St Patrick's Day	No	No	Yes
Fri 26 March	Good Friday	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mon 29 March	Easter Monday	Yes	No	Yes
Mon 3 May	Early May bank holiday	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mon 31 May	Spring bank holiday	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mon 12 July	Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day)	No	No	Yes
Mon 2 August	Summer bank holiday	No	Yes	No
Mon 30 August	Summer bank holiday	Yes	No	Yes
Tue 30 November	St Andrew's Day	No	Yes	No
Mon 27 December	Christmas Day (substitute day)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tue 28 December	Boxing Day (substitute day)	Yes	Yes	Yes

That gives 8 bank holidays in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland in 2027.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2027 fall on a Saturday and Sunday. So the two bank holidays move to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.

What a substitute day is

If a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a weekday becomes the bank holiday instead. This is called a substitute day. It is normally the following Monday.

Do you get bank holidays off work?

Not always. Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on bank or public holidays. It depends on your contract.

Most people who work 5 days a week must get at least 28 days of paid holiday a year. That is 5.6 weeks. Your employer can choose to count bank holidays as part of these 28 days. So if your employer gives you bank holidays off, they may come out of your yearly allowance.

Check your contract or ask your employer if you are not sure how bank holidays work for you.

Benefit payments over bank holidays

If your benefit is due on a weekend or a bank holiday, you will usually be paid on the working day before. For example, a payment due on Friday 25 December 2026 would usually arrive on Thursday 24 December. Child Benefit has its own payment dates, so check those separately.

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

Scotland has St Andrew's Day and 2 January, and its summer bank holiday is at the start of August. It does not have Easter Monday.
Northern Ireland has St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne (12 July) on top of the England and Wales dates.
Wales has the same bank holidays as England.

Related guides

Where this comes from

UK bank holidays (GOV.UK)
Holiday entitlement: bank holidays (GOV.UK)
How to have your benefits paid (GOV.UK)

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

See all bank holidays

Common questions

Is Boxing Day 2026 a bank holiday?

Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the bank holiday is the substitute day, Monday 28 December.

What is a substitute day?

If a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a weekday becomes a bank holiday instead, normally the following Monday.

How many bank holidays are there in 2027?

There are 8 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.

Do I get paid for bank holidays?

Not always. Employers don't have to give bank holidays as paid leave, and they can count them as part of your statutory annual leave.

Official sources

1.UK bank holidayswww.gov.uk/bank-holidays
2.Holiday entitlement: bank holidayswww.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/bank-holidays

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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