The Complete List of UK Bank Holidays: All 8 Days Explained, with 2026, 2027 and 2028 Dates

The UK has eight statutory bank holidays in England and Wales, nine in Scotland (ten in 2026, with a one-off World Cup holiday) and ten in Northern Ireland, and the England and Wales set has not changed since 1978. This page is the reference list: what each of the eight is, where it comes from, who observes it, and the date it falls on in 2026, 2027 and 2028. For a single year with long weekends and leave planning, use the year pages: 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. Last reviewed Thursday 5 November 2026.

At a glance — every UK bank holiday, 2026 to 2028

Thirteen distinct bank holidays exist somewhere in the UK, plus a one-off World Cup bank holiday in Scotland in 2026. Eight are common to England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland each add their own. The next bank holiday page shows which one is coming up. Dates marked * are substitute days (the holiday fell on a weekend).

The eight common UK bank holidays explained

Regional bank holidays beyond the common eight

Scotland — adds two extra days (three in 2026)

Scotland also takes the Summer Bank Holiday on the first Monday of August (3 August 2026) and skips Easter Monday — a net +1 day vs England. Full Scotland bank holiday calendar.

Northern Ireland — adds two extra days

Full Northern Ireland bank holiday calendar.

Crown Dependencies (not UK but often confused)

The Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are not part of the UK and have their own legislatures, but their bank-holiday calendars closely mirror England’s. They each add a small number of local holidays — for example Tynwald Day on 5 July in the Isle of Man, and Liberation Day on 9 May in Jersey and Guernsey.

Why does the UK have exactly eight bank holidays?

The number is largely an accident of Victorian banking law. Sir John Lubbock’s Bank Holidays Act 1871 formally created four bank holidays in England, Wales and Ireland (Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day) and added five in Scotland. The list quietly accumulated additions over a century: New Year’s Day became universally observed in 1974, the Early May Bank Holiday was added in 1978, and the August holiday was moved from the first to the last Monday of the month in 1971 in England.

The UK total has stayed at eight common days ever since, occasionally topped up by one-off royal jubilee or coronation holidays — most recently the King’s Coronation on 8 May 2023.

By international comparison the UK is at the low end. The European average is 11–12 days; only Hungary, Denmark and the Netherlands are comparably stingy.

Bank holiday vs public holiday vs statutory holiday — what’s the difference?

For most practical purposes — paying staff, opening/closing offices, scheduling Direct Debits — “bank holiday” and “public holiday” mean the same thing in Britain. See our deeper dive on bank holiday vs public holiday.

Frequently asked questions

What are the 8 UK bank holidays?

New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Early May bank holiday, the Spring bank holiday, the Summer bank holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. These eight apply in England and Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own variations below.

How many bank holidays does the UK have each year?

England and Wales have 8 bank holidays. Scotland has 9 (it adds 2 January and St Andrew’s Day, observes the Summer Bank Holiday on the first Monday of August rather than the last, but skips Easter Monday) — 10 in 2026 thanks to a one-off World Cup bank holiday on 15 June. Northern Ireland has 10 (it adds St Patrick’s Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne on 12 July). The same counts apply in 2027 and 2028; only the dates move.

Which bank holidays does Scotland not have?

Easter Monday is not a bank holiday in Scotland, and the late-August Summer bank holiday is taken on the first Monday of August instead. Most Scottish employers still close on Easter Monday by custom.

Is the list of UK bank holidays the same every year?

The set of holidays is the same — only the dates shift, because most are fixed by reference to a Monday or the moveable Easter date. Easter and the linked Easter Monday change by up to five weeks year to year; the May, Spring and Summer holidays move within a one-week window.

Are bank holidays paid days off in the UK?

Not automatically. UK statute guarantees 5.6 weeks of paid leave per year, which an employer is allowed to count bank holidays towards. Whether a bank holiday is a paid day off, an unpaid day off, a normal working day or paid at an enhanced rate depends entirely on your contract. Read our bank holiday pay guide for what is normal.

Do banks really close on bank holidays?

Branches do, yes. The term originated with the Bank of England’s closure days. Online banking, mobile apps and ATMs work as usual. Faster Payments still settle in real time, but BACS, Direct Debits and CHAPS are typically delayed by one working day.

When was the UK’s most recent new bank holiday added?

St Andrew’s Day in Scotland, added by the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act in 2007. Across the UK as a whole the most recent permanent addition was the Early May Bank Holiday in 1978. One-off additions for the Diamond Jubilee (2012), Platinum Jubilee (2022) and the Coronation (2023) are not part of the permanent list.

Is May Day always on 1 May in the UK?

No — confusingly, the British “May Day” bank holiday is the first Monday of May, not 1 May. So in 2026 it falls on Monday 4 May, in 2027 on Monday 3 May and in 2028 on Monday 1 May. Many other European countries (France, Germany, Italy) keep the holiday fixed on 1 May. See Early May Bank Holiday 2026.