UK / Bank holidays
UK bank holidays for shift workers
Bank holidays for 2026 to 2028 in each UK nation, with substitute days. Shift workers often work them: whether you get extra pay or a day in lieu depends on your contract.
Bank holidays 2027
England and Wales
| Bank holiday | 2027 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 26 March |
| Easter Monday | Mon 29 March |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 3 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 31 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 30 August |
| Christmas Day (substitute day) | Mon 27 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Tue 28 December |
Scotland
| Bank holiday | 2027 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 January |
| 2nd January (substitute day) | Mon 4 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 26 March |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 3 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 31 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 2 August |
| St Andrew's Day | Tue 30 November |
| Christmas Day (substitute day) | Mon 27 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Tue 28 December |
Northern Ireland
| Bank holiday | 2027 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri 1 January |
| St Patrick's Day | Wed 17 March |
| Good Friday | Fri 26 March |
| Easter Monday | Mon 29 March |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 3 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 31 May |
| Battle of the Boyne | Mon 12 July |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 30 August |
| Christmas Day (substitute day) | Mon 27 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Tue 28 December |
Bank holidays 2026
England and Wales
| Bank holiday | 2026 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu 1 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 3 April |
| Easter Monday | Mon 6 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 4 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 25 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 31 August |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Mon 28 December |
Scotland
| Bank holiday | 2026 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu 1 January |
| 2nd January | Fri 2 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 3 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 4 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 25 May |
| World Cup bank holiday | Mon 15 June |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 3 August |
| St Andrew's Day | Mon 30 November |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Mon 28 December |
Northern Ireland
| Bank holiday | 2026 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu 1 January |
| St Patrick's Day | Tue 17 March |
| Good Friday | Fri 3 April |
| Easter Monday | Mon 6 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 4 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 25 May |
| Battle of the Boyne (substitute day) | Mon 13 July |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 31 August |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 December |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) | Mon 28 December |
Bank holidays 2028
England and Wales
| Bank holiday | 2028 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day (substitute day) | Mon 3 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 14 April |
| Easter Monday | Mon 17 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 1 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 29 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 28 August |
| Christmas Day | Mon 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Tue 26 December |
Scotland
| Bank holiday | 2028 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day (substitute day) | Mon 3 January |
| 2nd January (substitute day) | Tue 4 January |
| Good Friday | Fri 14 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 1 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 29 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 7 August |
| St Andrew's Day | Thu 30 November |
| Christmas Day | Mon 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Tue 26 December |
Northern Ireland
| Bank holiday | 2028 |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day (substitute day) | Mon 3 January |
| St Patrick's Day | Fri 17 March |
| Good Friday | Fri 14 April |
| Easter Monday | Mon 17 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Mon 1 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Mon 29 May |
| Battle of the Boyne | Wed 12 July |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 28 August |
| Christmas Day | Mon 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Tue 26 December |
Working on a bank holiday
There is no legal right to have bank holidays off or to be paid more for working them. Employers can count them towards the 5.6 weeks of paid holiday (Working Time Regulations, regs. 13 and 13A). Many contracts pay time and a half or double time, or give a day off in lieu: check yours.
Dates are worked out from the rules for each holiday and the substitute-day rule. The government can add a one-off bank holiday by proclamation, so check gov.uk before you plan around a date.
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
What happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?
A substitute day is given, usually the next Monday. When Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend, the substitute days are the following Monday and Tuesday.
Does Scotland have different bank holidays?
Yes: 2 January and St Andrew's Day, the summer bank holiday on the first Monday of August and no Easter Monday.