As 2026 heads towards its final stretch, it won’t be long until the nights draw in and attention turns to autumn and the festive season. Before then, there are still a handful of bank holidays to come - a welcome break for many workers. Some people use the extra day to unwind at home, while others plan ahead to turn the date into a long weekend.
It’s worth noting, however, that not everyone will automatically get these days off. Gov.uk explains that bank and public holidays do not have to be given as paid leave, and employers can choose to include them within a worker’s statutory annual leave entitlement.
Remaining 2026 Dates
Wales shares the same bank holiday dates as England. Three dates remain in 2026:
- August 31 (Monday) - Summer bank holiday
- December 25 (Friday) - Christmas Day
- December 28 (Monday) - Boxing Day (substitute day)
Scotland's dates are different and have their own calendar.
Understanding Substitute Days
A bank holiday 'substitute day' is an alternative weekday granted when a bank holiday lands on a weekend (Saturday or Sunday), when many people wouldn’t normally be working. Rather than the holiday effectively disappearing on a weekend, it’s shifted to a weekday. This is usually the following Monday, so there’s still an official day off. For instance, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the bank holiday is typically observed on the next Monday as Christmas Day (substitute day).
Full 2027 List
For 2027, the full list of bank holidays in Wales is:
- January 1 (Friday) - New Year’s Day
- March 26 (Friday) - Good Friday
- March 29 (Monday) - Easter Monday
- May 3 (Monday) - Early May bank holiday
- May 31 (Monday) - Spring bank holiday
- August 30 (Monday) - Summer bank holiday
- December 27 (Monday) - Christmas Day (substitute day)
- December 28 (Tuesday) - Boxing Day (substitute day)
These dates provide opportunities for planning long weekends or festive breaks in the coming years.
