The official UK Bank Holidays 2026 have been confirmed for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While many of the dates follow the standard pattern, 2026 brings a few “substitute days” due to holidays falling on weekends, as well as the usual regional variations that can catch out the unprepared.
Whether you are planning a wedding, a holiday, or just looking to hack your annual leave, here is the complete calendar for 2026.
England and Wales Bank Holidays 2026
In England and Wales, there are 8 bank holidays scheduled for 2026. The key date to note is the end of the year: because Boxing Day (Dec 26) falls on a Saturday, the bank holiday is substituted to the following Monday.
-
New Year’s Day: Thursday, 1 January
-
Good Friday: Friday, 3 April
-
Easter Monday: Monday, 6 April
-
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday, 4 May
-
Spring Bank Holiday: Monday, 25 May
-
Summer Bank Holiday: Monday, 31 August
-
Christmas Day: Friday, 25 December
-
Boxing Day (Substitute Day): Monday, 28 December
Scotland Bank Holidays 2026
Scotland has 9 bank holidays. There are notable differences from England and Wales: Scots get an extra day for New Year (January 2nd) and celebrate St Andrew’s Day, but they do not officially observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday. Additionally, the Summer Bank Holiday is at the start of August, not the end.
-
New Year’s Day: Thursday, 1 January
-
2nd January: Friday, 2 January
-
Good Friday: Friday, 3 April
-
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday, 4 May
-
Spring Bank Holiday: Monday, 25 May
-
Summer Bank Holiday: Monday, 3 August
-
St Andrew’s Day: Monday, 30 November
-
Christmas Day: Friday, 25 December
-
Boxing Day (Substitute Day): Monday, 28 December
Northern Ireland Bank Holidays 2026
Northern Ireland has the most public holidays in the UK with 10 days.They observe the same schedule as England and Wales but add St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day).
-
New Year’s Day: Thursday, 1 January
-
St Patrick’s Day: Tuesday, 17 March
-
Good Friday: Friday, 3 April
-
Easter Monday: Monday, 6 April
-
Early May Bank Holiday: Monday, 4 May
-
Spring Bank Holiday: Monday, 25 May
-
Battle of the Boyne (Substitute Day): Monday, 13 July
-
Note: The official date is July 12, but since this falls on a Sunday in 2026, the holiday moves to Monday.
-
-
Summer Bank Holiday: Monday, 31 August
-
Christmas Day: Friday, 25 December
-
Boxing Day (Substitute Day): Monday, 28 December
“Holiday Hacking”: How to Maximise Your Time Off
With the dates confirmed, savvy employees can start planning how to turn a few days of annual leave into long stretches of holiday.
1. The 4-Day Weekend Start (January)
Scotland Only: Because January 1st is a Thursday and January 2nd is a Friday, Scottish workers get an automatic 4-day weekend to start the year without using any annual leave.
2. The Easter Block (April)
Easter falls in early April for 2026.
-
The Hack: In England, Wales, and NI, if you book off the 4 days leading up to Good Friday (March 30 – April 2) and the 4 days after Easter Monday (April 7 – 10), you can get a 16-day break (Saturday, March 28 to Sunday, April 12) for just 8 days of annual leave.
3. The Christmas Stretch (December)
Because Christmas Day is a Friday and the Boxing Day substitute falls on Monday the 28th, you get a 4-day weekend automatically.
-
The Hack: By booking off the 3 days between Boxing Day and New Year’s (Dec 29, 30, 31), you can enjoy a 10-day break (Dec 25 – Jan 3) while only using 3 days of annual leave.
Summary of Substitute Days
When a fixed-date holiday (like Christmas or Boxing Day) falls on a weekend, the UK government designates the next available weekday as the “substitute” bank holiday.
-
Battle of the Boyne (NI): Falls on Sunday, July 12 → Moved to Monday, July 13.
-
Boxing Day (UK Wide): Falls on Saturday, December 26 → Moved to Monday, December 28.
