Bank holidays are not the same across the UK. England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own set of dates, so the next bank holiday can vary depending on where you live. This page shows the confirmed official dates for each nation, with live countdowns to the next holiday, and a full side-by-side comparison for 2026 and 2027. Next bank holiday by nation There is no single “next UK bank holiday” — each nation observes its own calendar. The next confirmed bank holiday for each region is shown below with a live countdown. UK bank holidays 2026 — all nations compared The table below shows every bank holiday in 2026. A green tick means the holiday applies in that nation; a grey dash means it does not. Dates marked substitute are official in-lieu weekday replacements when the original date falls on a weekend. UK bank holidays 2027 — all nations compared The table below shows every bank holiday in 2027 by nation. Christmas and Boxing Day both fall on weekends in 2027, so substitute weekdays apply for all three nations. Scotland’s 2 January also falls on a Sunday, meaning its substitute is Monday 4 January. Substitute bank holidays — what they are and how they work When a UK bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it cannot be observed as a public holiday on that day (since most people do not work weekends). Instead, the UK Government designates a substitute (also called “in lieu”) public holiday on a nearby weekday — almost always the following Monday, or the next available weekday if Monday is already taken. Common examples: If Christmas Day (25 December) falls on a Saturday, the substitute moves to Monday 27 December. If Boxing Day (26 December) then falls on a Sunday, its substitute shifts to Tuesday 28 December. This is exactly what happens in 2027, meaning both Christmas and Boxing Day are observed as weekday substitutes. You can track the days until Boxing Day with a live countdown. The GOV.UK bank holidays list — which this page mirrors — always shows the official substitute date , not the original calendar date. This means any calculator or planner based on this data automatically handles substitute days correctly. For precise date calculations in employment, legal notices, or SLAs, see the UK Working Days Calculator . How many bank holidays does each UK nation have? England & Wales New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May bank holiday, Spring bank holiday, Summer bank holiday (last Monday in August), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

Adds 2 January and St Andrew's Day (30 November) to the shared set. Scotland does not always observe Easter Monday. Its summer bank holiday falls on the first Monday in August, not the last. Northern Ireland Adds St Patrick's Day (17 March) and Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day (12 July) to the holidays shared with England and Wales. England and Wales Bank Holidays Scotland Bank Holidays Northern Ireland Bank Holidays UK Bank Holidays FAQ The next bank holiday depends on where you are in the UK. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own set of dates. The next holiday for each nation is shown at the top of this page with a live countdown. England and Wales have 8 bank holidays per year. Scotland has 9 (adding 2 January and St Andrew's Day on 30 November). Northern Ireland has 10 (adding St Patrick's Day on 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day on 12 July). The totals can vary slightly depending on how substitute days fall in any given year. When a UK bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, a substitute (or "in lieu") public holiday is given on a nearby weekday — usually the following Monday. For example, if Christmas Day (25 December) falls on a Saturday, the substitute holiday moves to Monday 27 December. This calculator and the tables on this page always show the official substitute date, not the original calendar date. Yes. Scotland observes 2 January and St Andrew's Day (30 November) as bank holidays, which are not bank holidays in England and Wales. Scotland also does not always observe Easter Monday. Scotland's summer bank holiday falls on the first Monday in August, whereas England and Wales observe the last Monday in August. No. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have different bank holiday sets. While most holidays such as New Year's Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are shared, each nation has additional region-specific holidays. Yes. Northern Ireland observes St Patrick's Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day (12 July), which are not bank holidays in England, Wales or Scotland. Northern Ireland shares Good Friday, Easter Monday, and the May and August bank holidays with England and Wales. This page uses official UK bank holiday data from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/bank-holidays), which is the authoritative government source for confirmed UK bank holiday dates.