I seem to have simply blinked and suddenly arrived on the home stretch of 2026. With the chilly seasons hurtling towards us at a rather alarming rate, we now have just three bank holidays left to see us through the rest of the year. There’s the Summer bank holiday on Monday – which is now officially within touching distance, and then there’s the two days off that we’re treated to at Christmas.
The Christmas Day bank holiday will land on – you guessed it, folks – December 25. But the rest of the Christmas calendar is having a bit of a shake-up this year, as the Boxing Day bank holiday has officially been moved to a different date.
When Christmas Day, Boxing Day, or New Year’s Day fall on a weekend, the government allocates a substitute bank holiday date so that we don’t miss out on a sweet, sweet extra day off. Boxing Day 2026 lands on a Saturday, and so the substitute Boxing Day bank holiday has been confirmed for Monday, December 28.
Confirmed bank holidays for the rest of 2026 (England and Wales):
- Monday, August 31 (Summer bank holiday)
- Friday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
- Monday, December 28 (Boxing Day – substitute day)
England and Wales’s 8 bank holidays for 2027 have also been confirmed. And both the Christmas Day and Boxing Day bank holidays will be moved to substitute days, resulting in a delightful 3-day week to finish off the year.
Confirmed bank holidays for 2027 (Engand and Wales):
- Friday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- Friday, March 26 (Good Friday)
- Monday, March 29 (Easter Monday)
- Monday, May 3 (Early May bank holiday)
- Monday, May 31 (Spring bank holiday)
- Monday, August 30 (Summer bank holiday)
- Monday, December 27 (Christmas Day – substitute day)
- Tuesday, December 28 (Boxing Day – substitute day)
You can find out more about upcoming bank holidays across the UK here.
