Planning your year ahead? Knowing the UK bank holidays 2026 dates in advance is the easiest way to book time off strategically, arrange childcare and plan trips before everyone else does. This guide sets out every official bank holiday for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, explains why the dates differ across the UK, and shows how to stretch your annual leave into longer breaks.
How many bank holidays are there in 2026?
England and Wales have eight bank holidays in 2026, Scotland has nine and Northern Ireland has ten. The differences come down to national traditions: Scotland marks St Andrew’s Day, Northern Ireland observes St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne, and in 2026 Scotland also has an additional one-off holiday. Bank holidays are days when banks and many businesses close, though there is no automatic legal right to paid time off — that depends on your employment contract.
UK bank holidays 2026: England and Wales
Here are the confirmed 2026 bank holidays for England and Wales:
- Thursday 1 January — New Year’s Day
- Friday 3 April — Good Friday
- Monday 6 April — Easter Monday
- Monday 4 May — Early May bank holiday
- Monday 25 May — Spring bank holiday
- Monday 31 August — Summer bank holiday
- Friday 25 December — Christmas Day
- Monday 28 December — Boxing Day (substitute day)
Because Boxing Day (26 December) falls on a Saturday in 2026, a substitute bank holiday is given on Monday 28 December.
UK bank holidays 2026: Scotland
Scotland’s 2026 bank holidays are:
- Thursday 1 January — New Year’s Day
- Friday 3 April — Good Friday
- Monday 4 May — Early May bank holiday
- Monday 25 May — Spring bank holiday
- Monday 15 June — World Cup bank holiday
- Monday 3 August — Summer bank holiday
- Monday 30 November — St Andrew’s Day
- Friday 25 December — Christmas Day
- Monday 28 December — Boxing Day (substitute day)
Note that Scotland’s summer bank holiday falls at the start of August rather than the end, and Scotland does not observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday in the same way as the rest of the UK.
UK bank holidays 2026: Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has the most bank holidays of any UK nation in 2026:
- Thursday 1 January — New Year’s Day
- Tuesday 17 March — St Patrick’s Day
- Friday 3 April — Good Friday
- Monday 6 April — Easter Monday
- Monday 4 May — Early May bank holiday
- Monday 25 May — Spring bank holiday
- Monday 13 July — Battle of the Boyne/Orangemen’s Day (substitute day)
- Monday 31 August — Summer bank holiday
- Friday 25 December — Christmas Day
- Monday 28 December — Boxing Day (substitute day)
The Battle of the Boyne is officially on 12 July, which falls on a Sunday in 2026, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 13 July.
How to turn bank holidays into longer breaks
With a little planning, you can use your annual leave alongside the 2026 bank holidays to create much longer breaks:
- Easter: With Good Friday on 3 April and Easter Monday on 6 April, booking the four working days in between (7–10 April) gives you ten days off in a row for the cost of four days’ leave.
- May: The two May bank holidays fall close together, so a few well-placed days can join them up.
- Christmas and New Year: Christmas Day, the Boxing Day substitute and New Year’s Day sit near each other, so a handful of leave days can create a two-week festive break.
Booking early is the key — popular dates around Easter and Christmas fill up quickly at work, so getting your requests in first improves your chances of approval.
Why do bank holiday dates change each year?
Fixed-date holidays such as Christmas Day and New Year’s Day always fall on the same calendar date, but the day of the week changes. When they land on a weekend, the government grants a substitute weekday holiday so the day off isn’t lost. Movable holidays such as Good Friday and Easter Monday shift each year because Easter is calculated from the lunar calendar. That’s why it’s worth checking the exact dates rather than assuming they match the previous year.
Planning ahead for 2026
Bank holidays are among the few dates you can rely on months in advance, which makes them ideal anchors for planning holidays, family gatherings and long weekends. Save this list, get your annual leave requests in early, and you’ll be well placed to make the most of every long weekend the year has to offer. Dates are confirmed by the UK government, but it’s always sensible to double-check official sources before booking non-refundable travel.
Related guides
For more clear, fact-checked guidance made for British readers, explore more from iBradome.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get paid for bank holidays in 2026?
There’s no automatic legal right to paid time off on a bank holiday. Whether you’re paid, given the day off or entitled to extra pay depends on your employment contract. Many employers include bank holidays within your annual leave allowance, so it’s worth checking your terms.
Which 2026 bank holidays are the same across the whole UK?
New Year’s Day, Good Friday, the early May bank holiday, the spring bank holiday and Christmas Day fall on the same dates across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2026. The differences come from regional holidays such as St Patrick’s Day, St Andrew’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
Why is there a substitute bank holiday in December 2026?
Boxing Day (26 December) falls on a Saturday in 2026, so a substitute bank holiday is granted on the following Monday, 28 December, to make sure the day off isn’t lost to the weekend.
