UK bank holidays in 2026 with Boxing Day moved for ‘extra day’ | UK | News
With the end of the year approaching, holidaymakers are planning to vacation on public holidays next year. In 2026, most public holidays will be the same as in 2025.
However, the government has announced minor changes to public holidays in 2026, including an additional reserve day because one of the public holidays falls on a Saturday. As expected, the UK will have a New Year’s holiday on 1 January before an Easter long weekend; Leave will be granted for Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6.
This will be followed by spring and summer bank holidays: 1 May Bank Holiday (4 May), late May Bank Holiday (25 May) and late August Bank Holiday (31 August).
Christmas Day will be a public holiday on 25 December, but Boxing Day will not be a public holiday as it falls on a Saturday. The government website confirmed that an additional day of reserve leave will be given on 28 December instead.
There will be some further changes to the UK’s public holiday calendar in 2027. The most notable change occurs during the winter festival season. As Boxing Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend in 2027, the statutory holidays will “roll over” to Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December.
