Dates for 2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | |
| Good Friday | |
| Easter Monday | |
| Early May bank holiday | |
| Spring bank holiday | |
| Summer bank holiday | |
| Christmas Day | |
| Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different bank holidays.
Dates are calculated from each country's holiday rules and may not reflect last-minute changes. Check official government sources before relying on them for payroll or contracts.
Planning leave around 2026's bank holidays
7 of the 8 bank holidays in 2026 fall on a Monday or Friday, giving long weekends without using any annual leave. Booking leave next to a bank holiday stretches it further: taking the days between two holidays can turn a few days of leave into a much longer break.
Need to know how many working days are left in a period? Use the working days calculator, which automatically excludes bank holidays in the UK. For staff entitlement, try the holiday entitlement calculator. Tracking leave in a spreadsheet? Download the free annual leave tracker with these dates built in.
Common questions
How many bank holidays are there in England and Wales in 2026?
There are 8, from New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January to Boxing Day (substitute day) on Monday 28 December. 8 of them fall on a weekday.
Do bank holidays count towards annual leave?
There's no legal right to paid time off on bank holidays in the UK. Employers can include bank holidays in the statutory minimum of 5.6 weeks' holiday (28 days for a full-time worker), or give them on top. Check the employment contract.
What happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?
A substitute weekday is given, usually the following Monday. The dates listed already include these substitute days.
Plan 2026's leave with your whole team.
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