Public holidays 2026
The United Kingdom has 6 nationwide public holidays in 2026, plus 8 that apply only in part of the country. The first is New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January and the last is Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December.
All public holidays of 2026, with the date and day of the week.
| Holiday | Date | Observed in |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, 1 January 2026 | Nationwide |
| 2nd January | Friday, 2 January 2026 | Scotland |
| St Patrick's Day | Tuesday, 17 March 2026 | Northern Ireland |
| Good Friday | Friday, 3 April 2026 | Nationwide |
| Easter Monday | Monday, 6 April 2026 | All except Scotland |
| Early May bank holiday | Monday, 4 May 2026 | Nationwide |
| Spring bank holiday | Monday, 25 May 2026 | Nationwide |
| World Cup bank holiday | Monday, 15 June 2026 | Scotland |
| Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) | Sunday, 12 July 2026Day off: Monday, 13 July 2026 | Northern Ireland |
| Summer bank holiday (Scotland) | Monday, 3 August 2026 | Scotland |
| Summer bank holiday | Monday, 31 August 2026 | All except Scotland |
| St Andrew's Day | Monday, 30 November 2026 | Scotland |
| Christmas Day | Friday, 25 December 2026 | Nationwide |
| Boxing Day | Saturday, 26 December 2026Day off: Monday, 28 December 2026 | Nationwide |
Some holidays are only observed in part of the country.
Dates calculated from the statutory rules. Source: GOV.UK: UK bank holidays. More about our sources
Other notable days
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Epiphany | Tuesday, 6 January 2026 |
| Valentine's Day | Saturday, 14 February 2026 |
| Pancake Day | Tuesday, 17 February 2026 |
| Mother's Day | Sunday, 15 March 2026 |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday, 5 April 2026 |
| Ascension Day | Thursday, 14 May 2026 |
| Whit Sunday | Sunday, 24 May 2026 |
| Whit Monday | Monday, 25 May 2026 |
| Father's Day | Sunday, 21 June 2026 |
| World Animal Day | Sunday, 4 October 2026 |
| Halloween | Saturday, 31 October 2026 |
| Bonfire Night | Thursday, 5 November 2026 |
| Remembrance Sunday | Sunday, 8 November 2026 |
| Remembrance Day | Wednesday, 11 November 2026 |
| Black Friday | Friday, 27 November 2026 |
| Christmas Eve | Thursday, 24 December 2026 |
| New Year's Eve | Thursday, 31 December 2026 |
Public holidays 2026 compared by country
In the United Kingdom, there are 6 nationwide public holidays in 2026. In the other countries we cover, the number ranges from 4 to 13.
| Country | Nationwide | Regional only | On a weekday | Also in the United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria | 13 | – | 10 | 3 |
 Belgium | 10 | – | 8 | 2 |
 Denmark | 10 | – | 7 | 4 |
 France | 11 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
 Germany | 9 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
 Netherlands | 11 | – | 8 | 4 |
 Sweden | 13 | – | 7 | 4 |
 Switzerland | 4 | 21 | 3 | 2 |
 United Kingdom | 6 | 8 | 6 | – |
 United States | 11 | – | 11 | 2 |
Nationwide: holidays that apply across the whole country. On a weekday: Monday to Friday; in the United Kingdom and the United States the substitute day counts when the holiday falls on a weekend. Also in the United Kingdom: the same holidays, which are nationwide in the United Kingdom too.
Holidays in 2026: what stands out?
Of the 6 public holidays that apply nationwide in 2026, 5 fall on a weekday, Monday to Friday.
In 2026, 4 holidays fall on a Monday or a Friday and make for a long weekend. A holiday on a Tuesday or Thursday, such as New Year's Day and St Patrick's Day this year, gives you four days in a row if you take one extra day off.
Easter in 2026
Easter Sunday falls on 5 April in 2026, which also sets the dates of Good Friday and Easter Monday.
In 2027, Easter falls 8 days earlier in the year, on 28 March, and the Easter bank holidays move forward with it.
Bank holidays on a weekend
In 2026, these bank holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday: Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) and Boxing Day. In that case a substitute bank holiday is given on the next available weekday, usually the following Monday or Tuesday.
Remember that not every bank holiday applies everywhere: some are only observed in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The table shows where each one applies.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays are there in 2026?
There are 14 bank holidays in the United Kingdom in 2026. 6 apply everywhere; the other 8 apply only in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
What is the first public holiday of 2026?
The first public holiday of 2026 is New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January.
When is Easter in 2026?
Easter Sunday falls on 5 April in 2026, so Good Friday and Easter Monday are set from that date.
Which bank holidays fall on a weekend in 2026?
In 2026, these bank holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday: Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) and Boxing Day. A substitute bank holiday is given on the next available weekday.