UK Bank Holidays Updated for 2026 and 2027: Substitute Days to Adjust for Weekends

• by Arlen Fitzpatrick
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UK Bank Holidays Get a Shake-Up for 2026 and 2027

Here’s something that will probably have you double-checking your work calendar: the UK government just announced new arrangements for UK bank holidays in 2026 and 2027. In a typical year, things seem pretty straightforward—until a holiday lands on a weekend. That’s when rules about substitute days kick in, and for the next couple of years, there are a few you need to watch out for.

Let’s break it down. The idea behind bank holidays is that most people get a day off to relax, reflect, or just enjoy a long weekend. But if that holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the traditional day off would be lost—unless the government moves it. That’s where substitute days come in, offering a day off on the next available weekday, usually a Monday.

• In 2025, the Early May Bank Holiday lands on Monday 5 May.
• Easter Monday is on 21 April 2025—a great excuse for extra chocolate.
• For both 2026 and 2027, New Year's Day falls on the first of January. But if January 1st is a weekend, expect a substitute day the following Monday.

For both upcoming years, three substitute days are set, as some holidays are destined to clash with weekends. This shuffled schedule ensures everyone gets their expected breaks, and the tradition of a day off doesn’t just disappear because of the way the dates fall.

What This Means for UK Workers

Here’s the twist—not everyone automatically gets paid time off for these UK bank holidays. Your right to take these days off and get paid actually depends on your own work contract. There’s no absolute legal right to paid bank holidays in the UK; it’s up to what’s written in your employment agreement. Some companies even give more generous leave around major holidays, while others keep it strictly to statutory requirements.

Special one-off bank holidays do sometimes appear, especially for royal events or national commemorations. Think of the extra days off during the Queen’s Jubilees or major royal weddings—those aren’t regular but show up when there’s something big to celebrate.

These calendar tweaks are just the latest effort by the government to keep things fair and predictable for both workers and businesses when weekend clashes happen. If you like to plan ahead, now’s a good time to mark your calendars, check your holiday entitlement, and figure out if these changes affect your next chance for a long weekend.