Also on Bank Holidays UK: St Patrick’s Day 2027: Bank Holiday in Northern Ireland Only · Bank Holidays 2027 Wales: 8 Dates, Welsh Names and St David’s Day · Bank Holidays 2027 Northern Ireland: All 10 Dates
The New Year bank holiday 2027 is Friday 1 January 2027, across the whole UK. Scotland adds a second day: 2 January falls on a Saturday, so its holiday moves to Monday 4 January 2027, giving Scots a four-day New Year weekend.
New Year bank holidays 2027 by nation
| Nation | New Year’s Day Fri 1 Jan | 2 January holiday Mon 4 Jan (substitute) | New Year weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | ✓ | — | 3 days (Fri 1 Jan – Sun 3 Jan) |
| Wales | ✓ | — | 3 days (Fri 1 Jan – Sun 3 Jan) |
| Northern Ireland | ✓ | — | 3 days (Fri 1 Jan – Sun 3 Jan) |
| Scotland | ✓ | ✓ | 4 days (Fri 1 Jan – Mon 4 Jan) |
New Year’s Day is a bank holiday in all four nations. The extra day in Scotland is set out in Schedule 1 of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which lists “2nd January” for Scotland; when it falls on a weekend a substitute weekday is given, and GOV.UK lists Monday 4 January for 2027. The history of the Scottish day is on our 2 January in Scotland page.
Why 2027 starts with a long weekend
1 January 2027 is a Friday, so New Year’s Day needs no substitute and simply joins the weekend: Friday 1 January to Sunday 3 January everywhere, and on to Monday 4 January in Scotland. Most people are back at work on Monday 4 January in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and on Tuesday 5 January in Scotland.
The UK then has a long wait: the next bank holiday in England, Wales and Scotland is Good Friday, Friday 26 March 2027, 84 days after New Year’s Day. Northern Ireland breaks it earlier with St Patrick’s Day on Wednesday 17 March 2027.
Christmas 2026 into New Year 2027: the leave calculation
New Year 2027 is the tail end of the Christmas 2026 break. In December 2026 Christmas Day is a Friday and Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, so GOV.UK moves the Boxing Day bank holiday to Monday 28 December 2026. That leaves three working days before New Year’s Day.
| Book these days | Where | Leave used | You get off | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 29 Dec 2026 – Thu 31 Dec | E, W, NI | 3 | Fri 25 Dec 2026 → Sun 3 Jan 2027 | 10 |
| Tue 29 Dec 2026 – Thu 31 Dec | Scotland | 3 | Fri 25 Dec 2026 → Mon 4 Jan 2027 | 11 |
| Mon 4 Jan 2027 – Fri 8 Jan | E, W, NI | 5 | Fri 1 Jan 2027 → Sun 10 Jan 2027 | 10 |
| Tue 5 Jan 2027 – Fri 8 Jan | Scotland | 4 | Fri 1 Jan 2027 → Sun 10 Jan 2027 | 10 |
Is Hogmanay or New Year’s Eve a bank holiday?
No. 31 December is not a bank holiday anywhere in the UK. Some employers let staff finish early, but that is custom, not law. In 2027, New Year’s Eve falls on Friday 31 December 2027, in the gap between the Christmas substitute days and the New Year’s Day 2028 substitute on Monday 3 January 2028.
What is open on New Year’s Day 2027
There is no legal ban on shops opening on New Year’s Day in England and Wales, and Sunday trading rules do not apply because it is a Friday. Many supermarkets still close or open late, so check the chain: supermarket opening hours, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi.
In Scotland, the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007 bans large shops on Christmas Day, and allows Scottish Ministers to extend the ban to New Year’s Day by order. When the Scottish Government consulted on doing so in 2021, large retailers were still permitted to trade on New Year’s Day. Many close anyway — check local hours.
Banks close, Royal Mail does not deliver, bin collections often shift and trains run limited services: banks, Royal Mail, bins, trains, GP surgeries.
New Year bank holidays 2026, 2027 and 2028
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu 1 Jan 2026 | Fri 1 Jan 2027 | Mon 3 Jan 2028 * |
| 2 January (Scotland) | Fri 2 Jan 2026 | Mon 4 Jan 2027 * | Tue 4 Jan 2028 * |
* substitute day. 2028 is the mirror image of 2027: 1 January 2028 is a Saturday and 2 January a Sunday, so the New Year’s Day bank holiday moves to Monday 3 January 2028 and Scotland’s 2 January to Tuesday 4 January 2028. Full lists: bank holidays 2027, bank holidays 2028, Scotland 2027. Background: New Year’s Day. For your whole-year plan, see the long weekends 2027 guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the New Year bank holiday 2027?
Friday 1 January 2027, New Year’s Day, in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Is 2 January 2027 a bank holiday in Scotland?
2 January 2027 is a Saturday, so the Scottish bank holiday moves to a substitute day on Monday 4 January 2027.
Is 4 January 2027 a bank holiday in England?
No. Monday 4 January 2027 is a bank holiday in Scotland only. England, Wales and Northern Ireland return to work that day.
Is New Year’s Eve a bank holiday?
No. 31 December is not a bank holiday anywhere in the UK. Any early finish is at your employer’s discretion.
How many days off can I get over New Year 2027?
Booking Tuesday 29 December 2026 to Thursday 31 December 2026 gives 10 days off from Friday 25 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, or 11 days in Scotland.
Are shops open on New Year’s Day 2027?
There is no legal ban on large shops opening on New Year’s Day in England and Wales. Scotland’s 2007 Act only allows an extension of the Christmas Day ban by order. Many supermarkets still close or open late, so check each chain.
When is the next bank holiday after New Year 2027?
Good Friday, Friday 26 March 2027, in England, Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, St Patrick’s Day on Wednesday 17 March 2027.
When is the New Year bank holiday 2028?
1 January 2028 is a Saturday, so the bank holiday is Monday 3 January 2028 across the UK. Scotland also has Tuesday 4 January 2028.
- UK bank holidays — GOV.UK (dataset bank-holidays.json)
- Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, Schedule 1 — legislation.gov.uk
- Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007, s.2 — legislation.gov.uk
- New Year’s Day trading consultation (2021) — gov.scot
Verified on 27 September 2026. Every bank holiday date on this page is taken from the official GOV.UK bank holidays dataset for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; the weekday for each date, the day counts and the leave calculations were generated by script from those dates rather than typed by hand. Shop, transport and school arrangements change — always confirm with the operator, retailer or council.