Boxing Day bank holiday in 2026 moves to Monday, December 28, because Boxing Day itself falls on a Saturday. With only three bank holidays left in 2026, many people are already looking ahead to the 2027 calendar to arrange holidays and maximise annual leave.
Currently, there are no plans to add any extra UK-wide bank holidays. England and Wales are anticipated to have the standard eight bank holidays in 2027.
Remaining bank holidays in England and Wales in 2026
The next bank holiday in England and Wales is the Summer Bank Holiday on Monday, August 31, followed by Christmas Day on Friday, December 25. Because Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, a substitute bank holiday will be held on Monday, December 28.
- Monday, August 31 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
What changes in 2027
There will be significant changes to bank holidays in 2027, with extended breaks for UK workers due to a weekend clash, reports the Liverpool Echo. In 2027, Christmas Day falls on a Saturday and Boxing Day, December 26, falls on a Sunday. This means December 27 and December 28 will be substitute bank holidays.
New Year's Day 2028 will fall on a Saturday, meaning there will be a bank holiday on Monday, January 3, 2028 instead of January 1. This creates another extended long weekend for many employees.
All other bank holidays will fall as normal. The Easter 2027 bank holidays will occur either side of a weekend.
Official guidance and how it compares
UK government guidance 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."
Although the UK has one of the smallest numbers of bank holidays in Europe with eight, the days are added on to workers' allowance if they fall on a weekend. This is not the case in some other European countries. France, for example, has 11 official public holidays, but if any fall on a weekend, they are not compensated for in the week.
