The government has released the bank holiday schedule for 2026, announcing that there will be between eight and 10 designated bank holidays. In England and Wales, there are eight days off, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will have nine and 10 days off, respectively.
The holidays in England and Wales include Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, and Easter. In Scotland, an additional day off on January 2 is granted, while in Northern Ireland, two extra days off are observed for St Patrick’s Day on March 17 and the Battle of the Boyne on July 12.
Criticism has arisen regarding the holiday schedule, particularly the lack of breaks during the summer months. Suggestions have been made to introduce a bank holiday in the summer to bridge the gap between the end of May and the end of August.
Bank holidays have been a tradition in the UK since 1871 when an Act of Parliament allowed banks to close on specific days, thus giving rise to the term “bank holiday.” The first Monday in August used to be a universal day off, but in 1971, a new law moved it to the last Monday of the month for most places except Scotland.
It is noted that England and Wales have fewer public holidays compared to many other countries worldwide. Only Mexico has fewer annual days off, with just seven designated public holidays.