UK Bank Holidays: Full list for 2026

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Planning for 2026 is essential to prepare for both your short and long breaks. Knowing the UK bank holidays in advance will help you plan your budget for whatever activity you want to focus on during your holidays.

We have compiled a list of 2026 bank holidays across Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to help you plan.

How many UK bank holidays are there in 2026?

The total number of bank holidays in 2026 varies by region. For instance;

•         Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays
•         England and Wales have 8 bank holidays
•         Scotland has 9 bank holidays

Northern Ireland UK Bank Holidays 2026

•         New Year’s Day – Thursday 1st January
•         St Patrick’s Day – Tuesday 17th March
•         Good Friday – Friday 3rd April
•         Easter Monday – Monday 6th April
•         Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 4th May
•         Spring Bank Holiday – Monday 25th May
•         Orangemen’s Day – Monday 13th July
•         Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 31st August
•         Christmas Day – Friday 25th December
•         Boxing Day – Monday 28th December

England and Wales UK Bank Holidays 2026

•         New Year’s Day – Thursday 1st January
•         Good Friday – Friday 3rd April
•         Easter Monday – Monday 6th April
•         Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 4th May
•         Spring Bank Holiday – Monday 25th May
•         Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 31st August
•         Christmas Day – Friday 25th December
•         Boxing Day – Monday 28th December

Scotland UK Bank Holidays 2026

•         New Year’s Day – Thursday 1st January
•         2nd January – Friday 2nd January
•         Good Friday – Friday 3rd April
•         Early May Bank Holiday – Monday 4th May
•         Spring Bank Holiday – Monday 25th May
•         Summer Bank Holiday – Monday 3rd August
•         St Andrew’s Day – Monday 30th November
•         Christmas Day – Friday 25th December
•         Boxing Day – Monday 28th December

Why maximise your 2026 bank holiday?

Plan for public holidays: You can plan your trips or vacations around public holidays and long weekends if they fall on the weekend.

Take advantage of more time off: This allows you to maximise your time away from work and experience extended vacations while preserving your leave balance.

Extend your breaks: Strategically scheduling your vacations to align with bank holidays allows for a considerable extension of your time off.

Engage in hobbies: Extra time provides the opportunity to explore hobbies and interests that one might not be able to dedicate time to throughout the workweek.

Boost productivity: Spending more time away from work may boost focus and productivity once you resume your duties.

Relaxation: Making the most of your bank holidays allows you to refresh yourself.

Quality time with friends and family

Bank holidays offer an excellent chance to spend quality time with loved ones and friends.

In conclusion, most of the bank holidays seem to fall on Mondays due to the substitute day model.

If a bank holiday falls on a weekend, it will be transferred to the following working day, which is Monday.

Employers will also need to plan around the 2026 UK bank holidays to make sure the work planned for that year is complete.

They will also need to make sure they have enough employees in the office when others are taking their work leave.

For more information on UK bank holidays, leave a comment or contact us at [email protected].