Last verified: 3 September 2026 — sourced from GOV.UK and the Scottish Government.
UK bank holiday dates differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2026, while Scotland and Northern Ireland each have 10. Scotland’s total includes the one-off World Cup bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026.
England and Wales bank holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) |
Scotland bank holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 2 January 2026 Scotland only | Friday | 2nd January |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 15 June 2026 Scotland only | Monday | World Cup bank holiday |
| 3 August 2026 Scotland only | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 30 November 2026 Scotland only | Monday | St Andrew’s Day |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) |
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2026
| Date | Day | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 17 March 2026 NI only | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 13 July 2026 NI only | Monday | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) |
What are bank holidays?
Bank holidays are public holidays in the UK on which most businesses and schools are closed. Employers are not legally required to give bank holidays as paid leave — this depends on your employment contract — but most do. Bank holiday dates differ between England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Common questions
Do bank holidays differ across the UK?
Yes — Scotland and Northern Ireland each have some different dates (e.g. St Andrew’s Day in Scotland, St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland) alongside the shared England and Wales dates.
What happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?
It’s usually moved to the next working day — known as a “substitute” or “in lieu” bank holiday.
Are employers legally required to give bank holidays off?
No — there’s no automatic legal right to bank holidays off in the UK; it depends on your contract, though most include them as part of statutory annual leave.
See also
For nation-specific dates and explanations see our Scottish bank holidays 2026 and Northern Ireland bank holidays 2026 pages. Or use our next bank holiday countdown to see how long until your next day off.