UK Bank Holidays 2028
England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2028. New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, so the bank holiday moves to Monday January 3 — the only substitute of the year. Christmas Day and Boxing Day land neatly on Monday and Tuesday, needing no substitutes at all. Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland 10.
Bank holidays
8
Region shown
England & Wales
Longest break
Easter & Christmas · 4 days
Substitute days
Jan 3 only
2028 United Kingdom calendar
01January
02February
03March
04April
05May
06June
07July
08August
09September
10October
11November
12December
United Kingdom public holiday list
| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 3, 2028 | Monday | New Year's Day (substitute day)New Year’s Day (Jan 1) falls on a Saturday, so the bank holiday moves to Monday Jan 3.Substitute holiday | Substitute holiday |
| April 14, 2028 | Friday | Good FridayPublic holiday | Public holiday |
| April 17, 2028 | Monday | Easter MondayNot a bank holiday in Scotland.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| May 1, 2028 | Monday | Early May bank holidayFirst Monday of May — unusually early in 2028, just two weeks after Easter Monday.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| May 29, 2028 | Monday | Spring bank holidayLast Monday of May.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| August 28, 2028 | Monday | Summer bank holidayLast Monday of August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland takes its summer bank holiday on the first Monday of August (Aug 7 in 2028).Public holiday | Public holiday |
| December 25, 2028 | Monday | Christmas DayFalls on a Monday in 2028, so no substitute day is needed.Public holiday | Public holiday |
| December 26, 2028 | Tuesday | Boxing DayFalls on a Tuesday in 2028, so no substitute day is needed.Public holiday | Public holiday |
United Kingdom long weekends in 2028
New Year
3 daysJan 1 – 3
Sat–Mon: New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, so the substitute bank holiday on Monday Jan 3 keeps the long weekend intact.
Easter
4 daysApr 14 – 17
Good Friday and Easter Monday bracket the weekend — four days off in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Early May
3 daysApr 29 – May 1
Spring
3 daysMay 27 – 29
Summer
3 daysAug 26 – 28
Christmas
4 daysDec 23 – 26
Sat–Tue: the weekend runs straight into Christmas Day on the Monday and Boxing Day on the Tuesday — four days off with no substitutes required.
What are bank holidays — and why only one substitute in 2028?
The UK calls its public holidays "bank holidays". England and Wales have eight a year, most of them on a Monday, so they usually create a three-day weekend. When a fixed-date holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday is granted instead.
2028 needs only one substitute. New Year’s Day (Sat Jan 1) moves to Monday January 3, and that is the whole list — a marked contrast with 2027, when both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fell on the weekend and produced two substitutes. In 2028 Christmas Day is a Monday and Boxing Day a Tuesday, so the year-end break lands where it should without any adjustment.
One quirk of 2028 is how close Easter and the Early May bank holiday sit. Good Friday is April 14 and Easter Monday April 17 — an early Easter — and the Early May bank holiday follows on Monday May 1, just two weeks later. That leaves an unusually long stretch with no bank holiday at all between May 29 and August 28.
Scotland & Northern Ireland: how the list differs in 2028
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2028. Both New Year holidays shift: New Year’s Day (Sat Jan 1) moves to Monday Jan 3 and 2nd January (Sun Jan 2) moves to Tuesday Jan 4, giving a four-day break from January 1 to 4. Scotland also observes St Andrew’s Day (Thu Nov 30), takes its summer bank holiday on the first Monday of August (Aug 7), and does not observe Easter Monday.
Northern Ireland has 10. It matches England and Wales — including the Jan 3 substitute and the Monday/Tuesday Christmas — and adds St Patrick’s Day (Fri Mar 17, giving a three-day weekend) and the Battle of the Boyne, also known as Orangemen’s Day (Wed Jul 12).
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Official sources & data
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in the UK in 2028?+
England and Wales have 8 bank holidays in 2028, Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10. Scotland adds 2nd January and St Andrew’s Day but skips Easter Monday; Northern Ireland adds St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
Why is January 3, 2028 a bank holiday?+
New Year’s Day (Jan 1) falls on a Saturday in 2028, so the bank holiday is moved to the next working day, Monday January 3. In Scotland the 2nd January holiday shifts as well, to Tuesday January 4.
Are there Christmas substitute bank holidays in 2028?+
No. Christmas Day falls on Monday December 25 and Boxing Day on Tuesday December 26, both weekdays, so no substitutes are needed. Together with the preceding weekend they still give a four-day break from December 23 to 26.
When is Easter 2028 in the UK?+
Good Friday is April 14 and Easter Monday is April 17, 2028, giving a four-day Easter weekend in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland observes Good Friday but not Easter Monday.
Does my employer have to give me bank holidays off in the UK?+
No. There is no statutory right to paid leave on bank holidays in the UK. Whether bank holidays are paid days off depends on your employment contract; some employers include them within the statutory 28 days of annual leave.
What are the long weekends in the UK in 2028?+
Easter (Apr 14–17) and Christmas (Dec 23–26) are both four-day breaks. New Year (Jan 1–3), Early May (Apr 29–May 1), Spring (May 27–29) and Summer (Aug 26–28) each give a three-day weekend. Note the long gap with no bank holiday between late May and late August.
