UK Bank Holidays 2026 – How to Turn 4 Days Off into 10
Planning your 2026 holiday schedule already? With a little smart leave planning you can stretch a few annual leave days into much longer breaks — without eating into your full allowance. Below you’ll find the full list of UK bank holidays for England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, plus practical examples showing how to turn 4 days’ leave into up to 10 days off. There are also travel-money tips for anyone heading overseas.
1. UK Bank Holidays 2026 — The full list
All dates shown are the recognised public/bank holidays for each nation in 2026.
England & Wales
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Scotland
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 2 January 2026 | Friday | 2nd January (Scottish holiday) |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 3 August 2026 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland) |
| 30 November 2026 | Monday | St Andrew’s Day |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Northern Ireland
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 17 March 2026 | Tuesday | St Patrick’s Day |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday |
| 13 July 2026 | Monday | Battle of the Boyne (substitute day) |
| 31 August 2026 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| 28 December 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
2. How to turn 4 days of leave into 10 days off
Below are simple, realistic examples showing how to stretch a few annual leave days into long breaks. These examples use the actual 2026 bank-holiday dates above.
Easter example (very efficient)
Bank holidays: Good Friday 3 April + Easter Monday 6 April.
Take annual leave: Tue 7 Apr – Thu 9 Apr (3 days’ leave).
Result: You are off from Fri 3 April → Sun 12 April — 10 days off using only 3 leave days.
Early May example
Bank holiday: Early May Bank Holiday 4 May (Mon).
Take annual leave: Tue 5 May – Fri 8 May (4 days’ leave).
Result: Off from Sat 2 May → Sun 10 May — 9 days off using 4 leave days.
Christmas / New Year example
Bank holidays: Christmas Day 25 Dec (Fri) and Boxing Day substitute 28 Dec (Mon).
Take annual leave: Tue 29 Dec – Thu 31 Dec (3 days’ leave).
Result: Off from Fri 25 Dec → Sun 3 Jan 2027 — 10 days off using 3 leave days.
3. Travel-money & planning tips for your break
- Book travel-money early — rates can worsen nearer to peak holiday periods.
- Compare top providers before buying at the airport — you can often save 5–10% (or more).
- If you use a travel money card, check fees, ATM charges and daily limits in advance.
- Heading from an airport like Gatwick or Luton? See our airport pages for tips on where to exchange and saving options: Gatwick • Luton.
4. Ready to compare travel money?
If you’re planning a trip over one of these long stretches, compare rates now so you’re not paying rip-off airport margins.
Compare travel money rates
→ or search a specific currency: EUR • USD
5. FAQs
Q: How many bank holidays are there in the UK in 2026?
A: England & Wales have 8 statutory bank holidays in 2026; Scotland has 9; Northern Ireland typically has 10.
Q: Can I really get 10 days off from 4 days’ leave?
A: Yes — structuring leave around bank holidays (Easter or Christmas, for example) allows this. The examples above show common patterns.
Q: Will the bank holiday dates change?
A: Dates published here reflect the standard 2026 observances. Governments occasionally announce exceptions — we’ll update if official changes occur.