UK bank holidays in 2026 as substitute date announced and new day confirmed

Bank holidays vary depending on where you live

All of the UK’s bank holidays have been confirmed by the Government for the rest of 2026. Between the different nations, dates for bank holidays can vary so it’s important to check you know when they’re taking place, depending on where you live.

Easter weekend is when the next batch of bank holidays will take place and it includes Good Friday, April 3, and Easter Monday, April 6, for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, only Good Friday is recognised as a bank holiday in Scotland – not Easter Monday, Chronicle Live reports.

Recently officials set out the remaining bank holiday dates for this year via X, the social media platform previously called Twitter. Several posts specify that UK-wide bank holidays will take place on Good Friday, as previously noted, along with Mondays May 4 and 25.

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All UK nations will also observe bank holidays on Christmas Day, December 25, and Monday, December 28 (as a substitute Boxing Day). Meanwhile, Monday, July 13, represents the Battle of the Boyne bank holiday for Northern Ireland, while in Scotland, Monday, August 3, marks the Summer bank holiday. The rest of the UK – England, Wales and Northern Ireland – will observe this year’s Summer bank holiday on Monday, August 25.

On Monday, November 30, Scotland alone will commemorate the St Andrew’s Day bank holiday. And, as revealed last month, Scotland will enjoy an additional bank holiday this year.

Buckingham Palace said in February: “To mark the achievement of Scotland’s men’s football team competing at the Fifa World Cup for the first time in 28 years, we consider it desirable that Monday, the fifteenth day of June in the year 2026 should be a bank holiday in Scotland.

“Now, therefore, we, in pursuance of section 1(3) of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, do hereby appoint Monday, the fifteenth day of June in the year 2026 to be a bank holiday in Scotland.”

Complete list of UK bank holidays for 2026

England and Wales

• Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
• Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
• Monday, April 6 – Easter Monday
• Monday, May 4 – Early May bank holiday
• Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
• Monday, August 31- Summer bank holiday
• Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
• Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)

Scotland

• Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
• Monday, May 4 – Early May bank holiday
• Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
• Monday, June 15 – World Cup bank holiday
• Monday, August 3 – Summer bank holiday
• Monday, November 30 – St Andrew’s Day
• Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
• Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)

Northern Ireland

• Tuesday, March 17 – St Patrick’s Day
• Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
• Monday, April 6 – Easter Monday
• Monday, May 4 – Early May bank holiday
• Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
• Monday, July 13 – Battle of the Boyne (substitute day)
• Monday, August 31 – Summer bank holiday
• Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
• Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)

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