Full UK 2026 Bank Holidays List

While some bank holiday dates stay the same from year to year, others seem to be constantly hopping around.

It’s enough to make your head spin!

That’s why we’ve put together this guide. To help you know exactly when the 2026 bank holidays are, as well as which bank holiday is coming up next.

A bank holiday Monday can often dictate when you take time off work. So knowing the dates in advance — as well as any school holiday dates — can help when planning your airport parking.

When is the next UK bank holiday?

The next bank holiday to roll around is Good Friday – on Friday 3rd April 2026.

England Bank Holidays

Scotland Bank Holidays

Note that the Summer Bank Holiday in Scotland is different from the rest of the UK. It is observed on the first Monday in August, whereas in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, it is held on the last Monday of August. When the holiday was moved to the end of August for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1965, Scotland chose to keep the original earlier date.

Wales Bank Holidays

Northern Ireland Bank Holidays

What are UK bank holidays?

Bank holidays are public holidays when banks and most workers are given time off (or extra pay, depending on their contract). How many holidays there are can depend on the year’s special events.

The first bank holidays were named in the Bank Holidays Act 1871:

• Easter Monday, Whit Monday, First Monday in August and Boxing Day for England and Wales
• Easter Monday, Whit Monday, First Monday in August and St Stephen’s Day for Ireland
• New Year’s Day, Good Friday, First Monday in May, First Monday in August and Christmas Day for Scotland

In everywhere except Scotland, Good Friday and Christmas Day were considered traditional days of rest anyway, so these weren’t included in the act. New Year’s Eve is not a bank holiday, but New Year’s Day is.

The Bank Holidays Act 1871 was in effect for 100 years, until it was replaced by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which is still in place to this day.

Do employers have to give bank holidays off?

No. The law says workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid holiday each year, and it’s up to the employer whether any of these days coincide with bank holidays or not.

If you work 5 days per week, you’ll receive 28 days off, and some of these may fall on bank holidays. If you work part-time, you’ll still get 5.6 weeks of holiday, but this will be less than 28 days.

You can work out how much you should get using the UK Government’s holiday entitlement calendar.

How do bank holidays affect benefit payments?

If your payment date falls on a bank holiday, you should receive your payments on the working day before instead.

Main image: Elevate – Unsplash