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UK bank holidays 2026

England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2026, Scotland 10 and Northern Ireland 10. That leaves 253 working days from Monday to Friday in England and Wales.

8bank holidays in England and Wales
10bank holidays in Scotland
10bank holidays in Northern Ireland

Bank holidays 2026 in England and Wales

DateBank holiday
Thursday 1 January 2026New Year's Day
Friday 3 April 2026Good Friday
Monday 6 April 2026Easter Monday
Monday 4 May 2026Early May bank holiday
Monday 25 May 2026Spring bank holiday
Monday 31 August 2026Summer bank holiday
Friday 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday 28 December 2026Boxing Daysubstitute day

Bank holidays 2026 in Scotland

DateBank holiday
Thursday 1 January 2026New Year's Day
Friday 2 January 20262nd January
Friday 3 April 2026Good Friday
Monday 4 May 2026Early May bank holiday
Monday 25 May 2026Spring bank holiday
Monday 15 June 2026World Cup bank holiday
Monday 3 August 2026Summer bank holiday
Monday 30 November 2026St Andrew's Day
Friday 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday 28 December 2026Boxing Daysubstitute day

Bank holidays 2026 in Northern Ireland

DateBank holiday
Thursday 1 January 2026New Year's Day
Tuesday 17 March 2026St Patrick's Day
Friday 3 April 2026Good Friday
Monday 6 April 2026Easter Monday
Monday 4 May 2026Early May bank holiday
Monday 25 May 2026Spring bank holiday
Monday 13 July 2026Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day)substitute day
Monday 31 August 2026Summer bank holiday
Friday 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday 28 December 2026Boxing Daysubstitute day

Working days 2026

RegionWorking days Mon–FriHours at 7.5 h/day
England and Wales2531,897.5
Scotland2511,882.5
Northern Ireland2511,882.5

Bank holidays and your rota

A bank holiday is not automatically a paid day off – it depends on the contract. What has to be right is the record: who worked, for how long, and what that does to their holiday balance. That is what irot Time does – clock in on a tablet or phone, holidays and absences in the same place.

Source: dates from the official list on GOV.UK (data feed fetched on 30 October 2026). On substitute days GOV.UK says: “If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday.” On pay: “Bank or public holidays do not have to be given as paid leave.” (GOV.UK, holiday entitlement, read 30 October 2026).

Also: Easter 2027 · Bank holidays 2027 · Rota planning

Frequently asked questions

How many bank holidays are there in 2026?

England and Wales: 8; Scotland: 10; Northern Ireland: 10.

When is the next substitute day in 2026?

2026 has substitute days because some holidays fall on a weekend: Boxing Day (England and Wales), Boxing Day (Scotland), Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) (Northern Ireland), Boxing Day (Northern Ireland). A substitute day is normally the following Monday.

Do employers have to give bank holidays off with pay?

No. GOV.UK: “Bank or public holidays do not have to be given as paid leave.” Employers can count bank holidays towards statutory annual leave. Whether you get the day off, and at what rate you are paid for working it, depends on your contract.

How many working days are there in 2026?

England and Wales: 253; Scotland: 251; Northern Ireland: 251 – Monday to Friday, minus bank holidays.

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