Bank holidays 2026 in England and Wales
There are 8 bank holidays in England and Wales in 2026. Boxing Day falls on a weekend, so the day off moves to the next weekday (substitute day).
| Date | Bank holiday |
|---|---|
| Thu 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Fri 3 April | Good Friday |
| Mon 6 April | Easter Monday |
| Mon 4 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Mon 25 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Mon 31 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Fri 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Mon 28 December | Boxing Daysubstitute day |
Dates from the official gov.uk bank holiday list. Your employer doesn’t have to give you bank holidays off – check your contract.
Bridge days 2026
Book one day off and get four days in a row:
- New Year’s Day (Thu 1 January): Fri 2 January → 4 days
Make the most of your annual leave in 2026
The longest break around each bank holiday if you book no more than four days of leave. Weekends and bank holidays are already counted.
| Occasion | Book off | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Fri 2 January1 day of leave | 4 daysThu 1 January – Sun 4 January |
| Good Friday + Easter Monday | Mon 30 March – Thu 2 April4 days of leave | 10 daysSat 28 March – Mon 6 April |
| Early May bank holiday | Tue 5 May – Fri 8 May4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 2 May – Sun 10 May |
| Spring bank holiday | Tue 26 May – Fri 29 May4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 23 May – Sun 31 May |
| Summer bank holiday | Tue 1 September – Fri 4 September4 days of leave | 9 daysSat 29 August – Sun 6 September |
| Christmas Day + Boxing Day + New Year’s Day | Tue 29 December – Thu 31 December3 days of leave | 10 daysFri 25 December – Sun, 3 January 2027 |
Long weekends without booking leave
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 (Mon 28 December)
Working days in 2026
2026 has 253 working days in England and Wales (Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays).
Subscribe to bank holidays in England and Wales
A subscription keeps the dates up to date automatically – for the coming years too.
How the subscription works
- iPhone: tap “Apple Calendar” and confirm “Subscribe”. Or add it manually under Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Subscribed calendar:
webcal://www.miracal.app/ics/holidays-uk.ics - Google / Android: open the link in a browser and confirm “Add”.
- Outlook: Add calendar → Subscribe from web.
Bank holidays in your calendar
Subscribe to the bank holidays and Miracal shows them next to your iCloud, Google and Outlook events, your tasks and your contacts’ birthdays. Free for iPhone and Android.
Free download · iPhone & Android
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in 2026?
8 in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own lists: Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Wales.
What is a substitute day?
When a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the day off moves to the next weekday. Boxing Day 2026, for example, is a Saturday – the substitute day is Monday 28 December.
Do I get bank holidays off?
Not automatically. There’s no legal right to time off on bank holidays; it depends on your contract. Bank holidays can count towards your statutory 28 days of leave.
How many working days are there in 2026?
253 working days from Monday to Friday, without bank holidays.