UK bank holidays: Full list for 2025

In England and Wales, you'll enjoy a total of eight bank holidays. In Scotland, tick on one more for nine. In Northern Ireland you can experience a total of ten bank holidays.

Most UK bank holidays happen on a Monday. This is mainly due to the 'substitute day' model, where a bank holiday that would otherwise happen on the weekend is transferred to the upcoming Monday. This typically leads to a large proportion of holidays happening on Monday, with the typical exceptions being Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Many employees in the UK will be thinking about how they can make the most out of their annual leave in 2025. For employers, they will need to plan around holidays to ensure they have enough people at work (and track those absences accordingly).

Some common methods include:

• Simply planning ahead - Knowing which bank holidays are happening in 2025, and when they are happening, is the first step. It helps immensely to plan ahead and scope out potential vacation days well in advance.

• Embrace 'bridge days' - Commonly referred to as 'bridge days' in other European countries, think about how you can partner your holiday with a bank holiday (effectively adding a 'free day' to the mix).

As an employer, you may even want to think about how you educate and promote around bank holidays for your employees. For many, this could be a teaching opportunity to help employees embrace wellbeing, enjoy much-needed time off and unplug.

The world of work is only becoming more complex. The last thing you should be worrying about is calculating holiday entitlements, tracking them or ensuring you are legally compliant. Allow us to help.

Personio offers an HR software that includes a leave management software that can manage holiday requests, track every kind of leave (from emergencies to sicknesses and bank holidays) alongside all of your other core HR processes.

Over 14,000+ customers in the UK and Europe trust us to help. Get in touch with one of our helpful HR experts today, or start your own free trial to give Personio a go right away.

Is Good Friday a bank holiday in the UK? Yes, Good Friday is a recognised bank holiday across the UK. It typically falls in March or April and marks the beginning of the Easter weekend.

Is New Year's Eve a bank holiday in the UK? No, New Year's Eve is not a bank holiday. However, many businesses may close early or offer reduced hours.

Is Boxing Day a bank holiday in the UK? Yes, Boxing Day (26 December) is a bank holiday. If it falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday is usually given.

Is Christmas Eve a bank holiday in the UK? No, Christmas Eve is not a bank holiday. That said, many workplaces may close early or offer flexible working arrangements.

Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in the UK? Yes, Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is not observed in Scotland.

Is New Year's Day a bank holiday in the UK? Yes, New Year's Day (1 January) is a bank holiday across the UK.

When is the August bank holiday in the UK? The August bank holiday falls on the last Monday of August in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, it’s observed on the first Monday of August.

When is the May bank holiday in the UK? There are usually two May bank holidays: the Early May bank holiday (first Monday) and the Spring bank holiday (last Monday).

Is Easter Sunday a bank holiday in the UK? No, Easter Sunday is not officially a bank holiday, although it is widely observed and many businesses close.

What is a bank holiday in the UK? A bank holiday is a public holiday when most businesses and schools close, and employees may be entitled to time off depending on their contract.

Is VE Day a bank holiday in the UK? VE Day is not a recurring bank holiday. It was temporarily recognised in 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary.

Do you accrue bank holidays while on maternity leave in the UK? Yes, employees continue to accrue statutory holiday entitlement, including bank holidays, while on maternity leave.