UK Bank Holidays 2026: Four Days Off Before August Confirmed

The UK government has officially confirmed the remaining bank holidays for the year 2026, with four days off scheduled before August. While schools typically close on these dates, most employees across the nation also receive the day off work, providing opportunities for rest and celebration.

Variations Across UK Nations

Bank holiday dates often differ between the UK nations, though some key dates remain consistent. For example, the recent Easter weekend featured two bank holidays: Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6 for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. However, Scotland does not observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday.

The two May bank holidays—the Early May bank holiday on May 4 and the Spring bank holiday on May 25—will be observed uniformly across all four parts of the UK: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

—

Wide Pickt banner — collaborative shopping lists app for Telegram, phone mockup with grocery list

Extra Holidays Before August

For England and Wales, the May bank holidays mark the final days off before August. In contrast, other regions have additional holidays scheduled earlier in the year.

Scotland will enjoy a unique one-off bank holiday on Monday, June 15, to celebrate its men's football team qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 28 years. This special holiday was declared by Buckingham Palace in February, citing the team's historic achievement as a reason for the celebration.

Northern Ireland will observe the Battle of the Boyne bank holiday on Monday, July 13, providing an extra day off for residents.

Summer Bank Holidays

The next bank holidays after these will occur in August. Scotland will mark its Summer bank holiday on Monday, August 3, while the rest of the UK—England, Wales, and Northern Ireland—will observe their Summer bank holiday on Monday, August 25.