Posted By
Planmytour Team
August 26, 2026
The official public bank holidays for 2026 and 2027 vary across the UK, depending on key regional variations for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While England and Wales typically observe 8 bank holidays, Scotland observes 9, and Northern Ireland observes 10 each year. Additionally, there are multiple school holiday periods annually, with some shared holidays (like New Year's Day, Christmas, and Boxing Day) and a few timing variations (like Summer Bank Holiday).
If you're preparing a bespoke calendar to plan holidays with your family and aligning the break with time-off from work, it's important to know the correct official UK bank holiday dates for 2026-2027.
The United Kingdom (UK) observes several bank holidays throughout the year. These holidays are officially recognised and typically result in a day off from work and school for most people. Here's some information about UK bank holidays:
The first day of the year is celebrated as New Year's Day, and it's a public holiday across the UK. People often gather to watch fireworks, participate in various festivities, and to eat special meals featuring renowned items like black-eyed peas (for good luck!), cheesecake, cabbage, lentils, greens, and meat.
Good Friday falls on the Friday after Maundy Thursday and before Easter Sunday. It marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and is a Christian holiday observed across the UK. While most organisations and businesses are closed in the UK on Good Friday, several supermarkets, shops, cinemas, and restaurants remain open.
Easter Monday is an important bank holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is the day after Easter Sunday and is a public holiday. It is an important culmination of a long 4-day weekend in these parts of the UK. It provides an extended weekend for people to enjoy time with family and friends.
This holiday usually falls on the first Monday in May and marks the beginning of the spring season. Scotland has been observing the Early May Bank holiday right since the 1870s. However, the rest of the UK began observing it sometime in the late 1970s. It's a day for various outdoor activities and events.
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The Spring bank holiday falls on the last Monday in May. It initially began as the Monday after Pentecost. Pretty much everything is closed in the UK on this day, and even the public transportation functions on a holiday schedule. It's another opportunity for people to enjoy the pleasant weather and participate in recreational activities.
Occurring on the last Monday in August, the Summer bank holiday marks the end of the summer season. Although it is now an important public holiday in England and Wales, it was initially introduced as a way for bank employees to enjoy a crucial cricket match. It's a popular time for holidays and outdoor events.
Christmas is a significant holiday in the UK, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It has been a pivotal bank holiday in the UK since the 1970s. It's a merry time for exchanging gifts, decorating homes, and enjoying festive meals with family.
As the festive season approaches, Christmas market holidays offer a wonderful way to experience the magic of Europe, with beautifully decorated squares, traditional markets, festive foods and seasonal celebrations. For travellers looking for the best Christmas markets in Europe, PlanMyTour UK features inspiring destinations and ideas for an unforgettable festive getaway. Those seeking luxury European Christmas market holidays from the UK can explore premium festive escapes with PlanMyLuxe, while PlanMyTour UK offers a wide selection of Christmas market holidays across Europe.
Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, and it's a time when people traditionally gave boxes of gifts to service workers. These workers would, in turn, go home to pass along these gift boxes to their loved ones. Today, it's a bank holiday primarily for shopping, sports events, and relaxation.
St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's national day, celebrated on November 30th annually. It honours St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland, and was first observed as a bank holiday in 2007. Banks may choose to remain open on St. Andrew’s Day if they wish to.
St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th, honours the patron saint of Ireland. In addition to being a bank holiday in Northern England, it is also an important cultural and religious holiday celebrated with parades, music, and festivities. Schools and many businesses, organisations, and stores remain closed today.
This bank holiday, typically celebrated on July 13th, commemorates the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. It is when the Protestant William III defeated the troops of the Catholic King James II. It is a significant day in Northern Ireland's history and is marked by parades and cultural events.
In Scotland, January 2nd is a public holiday that provides an additional day off following New Year's Day. Post offices and banks are closed today, and public transportation may be limited or entirely unavailable. Several businesses and stores may remain closed as well.
The following is an up-to-date list of confirmed UK bank holidays dates 2026-2027 for all three distinct administrative regions, so you can plan breaks for the rest of your year and the upcoming one likewise.
England and Wales share a single combined calendar with typically 8 bank holidays in a standard year. The following are the remaining bank holiday dates for these regions in 2026.
| Date (2026) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 31 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Saturday) |
Scotland observes unique public bank holidays than the rest of the UK, differing in dates and traditions. Here's a list of what the rest of 2026 UK bank holidays in Scotland has in store for you:
| Date(2026) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 30 November | Monday | St. Andrew's Day |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Saturday) |
Northern Ireland includes two extra holidays compared to England and Wales, with a weekday substitute for a fixed-day holiday that may fall on a weekend. There are the 3 remaining public UK holidays in Northern Ireland in 2026.
| Date (2026) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 31 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Saturday) |
Find below a full list of 2027 UK bank holidays
England and Wales will observe 8 UK bank holidays in 2027, with substitute dates for Christmas and Boxing day, as the fixed dates for these fall on weekends.
| Date (2027) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 29 March | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 3 May | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 31 May | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 30 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 27 December | Monday | Christmas Day (substitute day, as 25 December falls on a Saturday) |
| 28 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Sunday) |
Scotland has a total of 9 bank holidays scheduled for 2027, and observes January 2nd, August Summer Holiday (different date), and St. Andrew's Day, unlike the rest of the UK.
| Date (2027) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day |
| 4 January | Monday | 2nd January (substitute day, as 2 January falls on a Saturday) |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 3 May | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 31 May | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 2 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 30 November | Tuesday | St. Andrew's Day |
| 27 December | Monday | Christmas Day (substitute day, as 25 December falls on a Saturday) |
| 28 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Sunday) |
Northern Ireland follows a separate calendar with 10 UK bank holidays scheduled for 2027, adding St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne/Orangemen's Day.
| Date (2027) | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day |
| 17 March | Wednesday | St. Patrick's Day |
| 26 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 29 March | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 3 May | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 31 May | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 12 July | Monday | Battle of the Boyne/Orangemens Day |
| 30 August | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 27 December | Monday | Christmas Day Christmas Day (substitute day, as 25 December falls on a Saturday) |
| 28 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day (substitute day, as 26 December falls on a Sunday) |
It's important to note that if a bank holiday in the UK falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday is often designated as a bank holiday to ensure that people still have the opportunity to enjoy a day off. Bank holidays are an integral part of the UK's cultural and social calendar, offering opportunities for relaxation, celebration, and reflection throughout the year.
The UK has six main long weekends in 2027 based on official UK bank holidays dates, including:
The official UK bank holidays left in 2026 are Summer Bank Holiday (31 August) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, St. Andrew's Day (30 November) in Scotland, and Christmas Day (25 December) and Boxing Day (28 December) in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
England and Wales have 8 bank holidays, Scotland has 9 bank holidays, and Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2027. Scotland observes St. Andrew's Day (30 November) and Northern Ireland observes St Patrick's Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne (12 July) in addition to the standard UK bank holidays.
There are no special or extra bank holidays scheduled for the United Kingdom in 2027, but Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend, creating substitute weekdays off. The new dates for these in 2027 are 27th December (Christmas Day), and 28th December (Boxing Day).
Northern Ireland is the only UK region with three official bank holidays in March 2027, including St. Patrick's Day (17 March), Good Friday (26 March), and Easter Monday (29 March).
There are two May bank holidays in the UK in 2027, Early May bank holiday (3 May) and Spring bank holiday (31 May). Both official May bank holidays are observed across all nations of the United Kingdom.
The Summer Bank Holiday in the UK in 2027 falls on Monday the 30th of August in Northern Ireland, England, and Wales, and on Monday the 2nd of August in Scotland.
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