UK Bank Holidays 2025 & 2026

A Brief History of UK Bank Holidays

Bank holidays were first introduced by the Bank Holidays Act 1871, championed by Sir John Lubbock. The original four holidays were Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August and Boxing Day. Before this act, banks in England and Wales closed on around 33 saints' days and religious festivals each year.

The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 updated the system and remains the legal basis for bank holidays today. Additional one-off bank holidays can be declared by Royal Proclamation, as happened for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and King Charles III's Coronation in 2023.

Are Bank Holidays Paid?

There is no legal right to paid time off on bank holidays in the UK. However, most employment contracts include bank holidays as part of the 28-day statutory annual leave entitlement (5.6 weeks for full-time workers). This means your employer can require you to work on bank holidays and give you alternative days off instead.

If your contract states you get bank holidays plus annual leave, then you are entitled to paid time off on those days. Workers who are required to work on bank holidays may receive enhanced pay (time-and-a-half or double time), but this depends entirely on the employment contract — there is no statutory requirement for higher pay.

Regional Differences

Scotland has nine bank holidays, including 2nd January and St Andrew's Day (30 November). Northern Ireland has ten, including St Patrick's Day (17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne (12 July). England and Wales share eight common bank holidays. Easter Monday is not a bank holiday in Scotland, and the summer bank holiday falls in early August in Scotland versus late August in England and Wales.