The remaining bank holidays in 2026 for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have been confirmed, with most regions sharing the same dates, though Scotland differs.
Dates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland
England, Wales and Northern Ireland have three bank holidays left in 2026: August 31 (Monday) for the summer bank holiday, December 25 (Friday) for Christmas Day, and December 28 (Monday) for Boxing Day, which is a substitute day.
Scotland's remaining dates
Scotland's remaining bank holidays are November 30 (Monday) for St Andrew's Day, December 25 (Friday) for Christmas Day, and December 28 (Monday) for Boxing Day (substitute day).
Paid leave rule and substitute days
Not everyone automatically gets 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.
A 'substitute day' is an alternative weekday granted when a bank holiday lands on a 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, usually the following Monday.
