UK Bank Holidays 2025
Knowing the UK bank holidays 2025 dates makes it easier to plan work, annual leave, school breaks, travel and family time.
Bank holidays are not exactly the same across the UK. England and Wales share one set of dates, while Scotland and Northern Ireland have some additional holidays. In 2025, England and Wales have 8 bank holidays, Scotland has 9, and Northern Ireland has 10.
This guide covers the complete UK bank holidays 2025 list, including dates for each UK nation, bank holidays by month, annual leave planning tips and common questions.
2025 Bank Holidays at a Glance
Here is a quick overview of the main UK bank holidays 2025.
| Date | Day | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
| 1 January | Wednesday | New Year’s Day | New Year’s Day | New Year’s Day |
| 2 January | Thursday | No | 2nd January | No |
| 17 March | Monday | No | No | St Patrick’s Day |
| 18 April | Friday | Good Friday | Good Friday | Good Friday |
| 21 April | Monday | Easter Monday | No | Easter Monday |
| 5 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday | Early May bank holiday | Early May bank holiday |
| 26 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday | Spring bank holiday | Spring bank holiday |
| 14 July | Monday | No | No | Battle of the Boyne substitute day |
| 4 August | Monday | No | Summer bank holiday | No |
| 25 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday | No | Summer bank holiday |
| 1 December | Monday | No | St Andrew’s Day substitute day | No |
| 25 December | Thursday | Christmas Day | Christmas Day | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Friday | Boxing Day | Boxing Day | Boxing Day |
The dates above are based on the official GOV.UK bank holiday calendar.
For England and Wales, the official UK bank holidays 2025 are:
- 1 January: New Year’s Day
- 18 April: Good Friday
- 21 April: Easter Monday
- 5 May: Early May bank holiday
- 26 May: Spring bank holiday
- 25 August: Summer bank holiday
- 25 December: Christmas Day
- 26 December: Boxing Day
England and Wales Bank Holidays 2025
The UK bank holidays 2025 England calendar is the same as the calendar for Wales.
There are eight bank holidays in England and Wales in 2025:
| Date | Bank holiday |
| Wednesday, 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Friday, 18 April | Good Friday |
| Monday, 21 April | Easter Monday |
| Monday, 5 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Monday, 26 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Monday, 25 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Thursday, 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Friday, 26 December | Boxing Day |
This means people in London follow the same national bank holiday dates as the rest of England. Therefore, the UK bank holidays 2025 London calendar does not have a separate set of national bank holidays.
Local events, school holidays and local authority arrangements can still differ, so a bank holiday should not be confused with every type of public or local holiday.
Scotland Bank Holidays 2025
Scotland has a different bank holiday calendar.
In 2025, Scotland has nine bank holidays. These include 2nd January and St Andrew’s Day, which are not included in the England and Wales calendar.
The Scotland bank holidays 2025 are:
| Date | Bank holiday |
| Wednesday, 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Thursday, 2 January | 2nd January |
| Friday, 18 April | Good Friday |
| Monday, 5 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Monday, 26 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Monday, 4 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Monday, 1 December | St Andrew’s Day substitute day |
| Thursday, 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Friday, 26 December | Boxing Day |
St Andrew’s Day falls on 30 November. In 2025, that date falls on a Sunday, so Monday, 1 December becomes the substitute bank holiday.
Scotland’s summer bank holiday also falls earlier than the summer bank holiday in England and Wales. Scotland observes it on 4 August, while England and Wales observe theirs on 25 August.
Northern Ireland Bank Holidays 2025
Northern Ireland has more bank holidays than England and Wales.
The Northern Ireland bank holidays 2025 include St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne substitute day. This gives Northern Ireland 10 bank holidays in 2025.
The dates are:
| Date | Bank holiday |
| Wednesday, 1 January | New Year’s Day |
| Monday, 17 March | St Patrick’s Day |
| Friday, 18 April | Good Friday |
| Monday, 21 April | Easter Monday |
| Monday, 5 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Monday, 26 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Monday, 14 July | Battle of the Boyne substitute day |
| Monday, 25 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Thursday, 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Friday, 26 December | Boxing Day |
The Battle of the Boyne is normally observed on 12 July. In 2025, 12 July falls on a Saturday, so the substitute bank holiday is Monday, 14 July.
UK Bank Holidays by Month in 2025
Looking at the calendar month by month makes the UK bank holidays 2025 list easier to use.
January
January has New Year’s Day across the UK.
- 1 January: New Year’s Day
- 2 January: 2nd January in Scotland
Scotland therefore has two bank holidays at the start of the year, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland have one.
February
There are no UK-wide bank holidays in February 2025.
March
March includes an additional Northern Ireland holiday:
- 17 March: St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland
There is no equivalent bank holiday in England, Wales or Scotland.
April
The April UK bank holidays 2025 fall around Easter.
- 18 April: Good Friday
- 21 April: Easter Monday
Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland observes Good Friday but does not have Easter Monday as a bank holiday in 2025.
May
There are two UK May bank holidays 2025:
- 5 May: Early May bank holiday
- 26 May: Spring bank holiday
Both are observed across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
June
There are no UK bank holidays in June 2025.
July
Northern Ireland has an additional holiday:
- 14 July: Battle of the Boyne substitute day
This does not apply to England, Wales or Scotland.
August
There are different summer bank holiday dates across the UK.
- 4 August: Scotland summer bank holiday
- 25 August: England and Wales summer bank holiday
- 25 August: Northern Ireland summer bank holiday
This is one of the clearest examples of why checking your nation’s calendar matters.
September
There are no UK bank holidays in September 2025.
October
There are no national UK bank holidays 2025 October.
Although October has no national bank holiday, some schools, employers and organisations may have their own breaks or closure dates. These should not be treated as official bank holidays.
November
There are no national bank holidays in England, Wales or Northern Ireland in November.
Scotland observes St Andrew’s Day through a substitute bank holiday on 1 December in 2025 because 30 November falls on a Sunday.
December
The UK December bank holidays 2025 are:
- 25 December: Christmas Day
- 26 December: Boxing Day
These two dates are bank holidays in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Best Ways to Plan Annual Leave Around UK Bank Holidays
Bank holidays can help you turn a small number of annual leave days into longer breaks.
For example, in England and Wales, Good Friday falls on 18 April and Easter Monday falls on 21 April. Taking annual leave on the working days around this period can create a longer Easter break.
The May bank holidays also create useful opportunities. Both 5 May and 26 May fall on Mondays in 2025. Taking four working days off around one of these Mondays can give you a nine-day break, depending on your employer’s leave policy.
The same approach can work around Christmas. In 2025, Christmas Day falls on Thursday and Boxing Day falls on Friday, creating a four-day weekend when the weekend is included.
Before booking leave, check:
- Which UK nation you work in.
- Your employer’s annual leave policy.
- Whether bank holidays are included in your annual leave allowance.
- Whether your workplace closes on bank holidays.
- Whether your employer requires advance approval.
A bank holiday does not automatically mean you receive an additional paid day off. GOV.UK states that employers do not have to give paid leave specifically for bank or public holidays. Your employment contract determines how these days are treated.
Why Bank Holiday Dates Differ Across the UK
The UK does not have one identical bank holiday calendar for every nation.
England and Wales share the same national bank holidays. Scotland has additional holidays, including 2nd January and St Andrew’s Day. Northern Ireland has additional holidays including St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
Historical, cultural and legal differences have influenced the calendars used in each nation.
This is why searching for UK bank holidays 2025 without checking your location can sometimes produce an incomplete answer.
For example:
- Someone in London follows the England and Wales calendar.
- Someone in Edinburgh follows the Scotland calendar.
- Someone in Belfast follows the Northern Ireland calendar.
The difference can affect employees, businesses, schools, transport planning and public services.
UK Bank Holidays 2025: Key Facts
Here are the main facts to remember:
- England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2025.
- Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2025.
- Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays in 2025.
- London follows the England and Wales bank holiday calendar.
- Scotland has a bank holiday on 2 January.
- Northern Ireland has a bank holiday for St Patrick’s Day.
- Northern Ireland has a substitute bank holiday on 14 July.
- Scotland’s summer bank holiday is 4 August.
- England and Wales have their summer bank holiday on 25 August.
- Christmas Day is Thursday, 25 December.
- Boxing Day is Friday, 26 December.
- There are no national UK bank holidays in October 2025.
- A substitute day can apply when a bank holiday falls on a weekend.
Plan Around the 2025 Bank Holidays
The easiest way to use the UK bank holidays 2025 calendar is to plan your annual leave before the busiest periods.
Easter, May, summer and Christmas are the main periods worth checking first.
If you are travelling, book early around popular bank holiday weekends. Flights, trains and hotels can become more expensive when demand rises.
If you run a business, check bank holiday dates before setting staff schedules, delivery dates or customer deadlines.
For employees, check your contract before assuming a bank holiday is an extra day of paid leave.
You can also save the official calendar to your digital calendar. GOV.UK provides calendar downloads for the different UK nations.
Conclusion
The UK bank holidays 2025 calendar is not identical across the country.
England and Wales have eight bank holidays, Scotland has nine and Northern Ireland has ten. The biggest differences include Scotland’s 2nd January and St Andrew’s Day arrangements, along with Northern Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day and Battle of the Boyne holiday.
For the most accurate information, check the calendar for your specific UK nation before booking annual leave, arranging travel or planning business schedules.
The official GOV.UK bank holiday calendar is the best reference for checking past and future dates.
UK Bank Holidays 2025 FAQs
Quick answers about the 2025 UK bank holiday calendar, regional differences and planning.
What are the 8 UK bank holidays in 2025?
There are eight bank holidays in England and Wales in 2025:
Scotland and Northern Ireland have additional bank holidays, so eight is not the total for the whole UK.
How many bank holidays are there in the UK each year?
The number varies by UK nation. In 2025, England and Wales have 8, Scotland has 9, and Northern Ireland has 10.
The number can also change in years when a special one-off bank holiday is announced.
Is today a bank holiday in the UK?
Whether a particular date is a bank holiday depends on the date and the UK nation.
For the official list of bank holidays, check the GOV.UK calendar for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Are bank holidays included in annual leave?
They can be, depending on your employment contract.
Employers do not have to provide paid leave specifically because a day is a bank holiday. Your contract should explain whether bank holidays are included within your annual leave entitlement or provided separately.