Bank holiday dates vary from year to year, with Boxing Day set to change from the typical December 26 date. In 2026, the Boxing Day bank holiday will not take place on December 26, as that date falls on a Saturday. Instead, a substitute bank holiday will be held on Monday, December 28.
With only three bank holidays remaining in 2026, workers can make the most of them by planning annual leave in advance, potentially extending weekends into longer breaks. The remaining bank holidays in England and Wales are:
- Monday, August 31 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
Changes ahead for 2027 and 2028
In 2027, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday and Boxing Day, December 26, is a Sunday. This means December 27 and December 28 will be substitute bank holidays, creating a longer break for many workers. At present, there are no plans to introduce additional UK-wide bank holidays, so England and Wales are expected to have the usual eight bank holidays in 2027.
New Year's Day 2028 will also land on a Saturday. Instead of January 1 being a bank holiday, the substitute holiday will fall on Monday, January 3, 2028, adding another long weekend. Other bank holidays will remain as expected, with the Easter 2027 bank holidays falling either side of a weekend.
Government guidance on substitute bank holidays
Guidance from the UK government states: "If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a 'substitute' weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on bank or public holidays. Bank holidays might affect how and when your benefits are paid."
