UK bank holidays 2027 & 2028

When is the next bank holiday?

See full 2026–2028 calendars below for all dates

Bank holidays 2026

Select your nation:

Showing: England & Wales

Tap a region above to filter dates

Bank holidays 2027

Planning 2027? See the dedicated 2027 bank holidays page for the 2027 dates by nation, the Christmas substitute days and leave-planning ideas.

Select your nation:

Showing: England & Wales

Tap a region above to filter dates

Bank holidays 2028

Select your nation:

Showing: England & Wales

Tap a region above to filter dates

Regional differences across the UK

The United Kingdom has different bank holidays for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. While England and Wales share the same 8 bank holidays, Scotland has 9 (adding 2nd January and St Andrew's Day), and Northern Ireland has 10 (adding St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne). Understanding these differences is essential if you work across different UK nations or employ staff in multiple locations.

England — 8 bank holidays

England shares the same bank holiday calendar as Wales, with 8 public holidays per year. The standard holidays are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. England does not observe the additional holidays celebrated in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which can create confusion for cross-border workers and businesses operating nationally.

Wales — 8 bank holidays

Wales mirrors England's bank holiday calendar exactly, with the same 8 public holidays annually. The Welsh Government has occasionally considered additional holidays, particularly St David's Day (1 March), but no additional bank holidays have been introduced. Welsh workers have the same statutory entitlements as their English counterparts.

Scotland — 9 bank holidays plus local holidays

Scotland has 9 statutory bank holidays in most years. It doesn't observe Easter Monday, and adds two days England and Wales don't have: 2 January (a bank holiday in its own right, not a substitute for New Year's Day) and St Andrew's Day (30 November). Scotland also has a tradition of local holidays, where specific towns and cities have additional days off on different dates throughout the year. The Scottish Summer Bank Holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in August, rather than the last Monday in August as in England and Wales.

Northern Ireland — 10 bank holidays

Northern Ireland has the most bank holidays in the UK with 10 per year. In addition to the standard 8 holidays, Northern Ireland observes St Patrick's Day (17 March, celebrated on the nearest weekday if it falls on a weekend) and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day (12 July). These holidays reflect Northern Ireland's unique cultural and historical heritage. The Battle of the Boyne holiday is particularly significant and is celebrated with parades and commemorations across the province.

Substitute day rules

When a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday. For example, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the substitute holiday is Monday 27 December. This applies across all UK nations, ensuring workers don't lose their bank holiday entitlement when holidays fall on weekends.

The history of UK bank holidays

Bank holidays were first introduced by the Bank Holidays Act 1871, drafted by Sir John Lubbock, a banker and politician who wanted to give workers more time off. The original Act created four bank holidays in England, Wales and Ireland: Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day. Scotland had different dates, reflecting its separate legal traditions.

The term "bank holiday" originated because these were days when banks were closed, meaning no financial transactions could take place. As banking was central to commerce, this effectively meant most businesses closed too. Over time, bank holidays became synonymous with public holidays, though technically not all public holidays are bank holidays.

Significant changes have occurred over the years. The Summer Bank Holiday was moved from the first Monday in August to the last Monday in August in 1971, creating the long weekend we know today. In 1974, New Year's Day became a bank holiday in England and Wales. The Spring Bank Holiday was introduced in 1971, replacing Whit Monday which had previously been celebrated 50 days after Easter.

Special bank holidays have been declared for royal events, including the Queen's Silver Jubilee (1977), Golden Jubilee (2002), Diamond Jubilee (2012), and Platinum Jubilee (2022). Similarly, bank holidays were announced for the Royal Wedding in 2011 and the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. These additional holidays reflect the flexibility of the bank holiday system to mark significant national occasions.

Key historical facts

• 1871: Bank Holidays Act creates first official bank holidays
• 1971: Summer Bank Holiday moved to last Monday in August
• 1974: New Year's Day becomes bank holiday in England and Wales
• 1978: Early May bank holiday introduced
• 2007: St Andrew's Day becomes bank holiday in Scotland
• 2022: Platinum Jubilee bank holiday celebrated in June

Today, the UK has fewer bank holidays than most other European countries. The campaign for an additional bank holiday continues, with various groups advocating for days such as St David's Day (Wales), St George's Day (England), or a national holiday in October to break the long gap between August and Christmas.

Source: Bank Holidays Act 1871 and subsequent amendments; UK Government announcements on special bank holidays.

Bank holidays and your holiday entitlement

There are two ways employers can handle bank holidays:

Use our calculator

Include bank holidays in your holiday calculation:

Calculate your holiday entitlement

Frequently asked questions

Related calculators

Work out your exact holiday entitlement with our specialist calculators: