Also on Bank Holidays UK: Jubilee Bank Holidays — A Royal History · Next UK Bank Holiday — Live Countdown & Date · NHS GP & 111 on Bank Holidays — What’s Open
There are 8 UK bank holidays in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland — but the exact count depends on the year and any special proclamations.
How the count breaks down
England and Wales share the standard set of eight: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Scotland adds 2 January and St Andrew’s Day (30 November), but its Summer Bank Holiday is on the first Monday of August rather than the last. Northern Ireland keeps the England & Wales eight and adds St Patrick’s Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne (12 July).
Why the numbers differ
The Bank Holidays Act 1871 created a shared set of holidays across the United Kingdom but allowed regional differences for cultural and religious dates. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 modernised the framework and gave us most of the dates we now recognise.
Special years
From time to time the UK adds an extra bank holiday by Royal Proclamation — for example, 8 May 2025 marked VE Day’s 80th anniversary, and 19 September 2022 marked the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. These one-offs don’t change the standard count.
Frequently asked
Is the answer to ‘how many bank holidays uk’?
Eight in England and Wales, nine in Scotland and ten in Northern Ireland.
Where is this defined in UK law?
The Bank Holidays Act 1871 and the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 are the two main statutes.
Do bank holidays change every year?
The dates change but the holidays themselves don’t. Some are tied to specific dates (Christmas, New Year), some to religious calendars (Easter), and some to fixed weekdays (first/last Monday of a month).