Following England’s semi-final win, many are calling for another bank holiday – but how are they created?
Brits are speculating over whether a bank holiday could be put in place – if the Lionesses take home the Euro 2025 crown on Sunday (Image: Alex Caparros – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Everyone enjoys a bank holiday. Whether it be time off work to spend in the garden, with the children or just taking advantage of the extra day off – it’s a long weekend many look forward to.
And as England have successfully beaten Italy to reach the Euro 2025 finals, many have been speculating over whether a bank holiday could be brought in if the footballers take home the win.
However, how and why bank holidays are created and where they come from is often a question on Brits’ mind.
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What is a bank holiday, and is there any difference between this and a public holiday?
‘Bank holiday’ is now usually a general term to mean a combination of what are legally classed as ‘bank holidays’ and what the officials would call ‘public holidays.’
Public holidays are those classed as “common law” holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and include Christmas Day and Good Friday.
According to a Parliament document, it states: “The difference between bank holidays and common law public holidays is academic. In practice, they operate in largely the same way.”
There is a slight difference in the meaning in Scotland, whereby local specific holidays are also taken into account, the Parliament website states.
So, what is a bank holiday defined as?
The Parliament website explains a bank holiday as those created under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, and are days when “financial dealings” may be suspended.
It adds: “They include days that are specifically listed in the act as well as days that are proclaimed by the King (Royal Proclamations are usually published each summer in The Gazette).
“Bank holidays are a devolved issue in Scotland, enabling the creation of a ninth bank holiday (St Andrew’s Day) in 2007. Northern Ireland has proclaimed a bank holiday to mark the Battle of Boyne, in addition to St Patrick’s Day.
“Christmas Day and Good Friday are “common law” public holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but are bank holidays in Scotland.
“Section 1(3) of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 gives the King the power to appoint additional days as bank holidays by Royal Proclamation.”
How are bank holidays created?
The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 is the act which is used to develop new bank holidays, and as referenced before, are days where financial dealings are halted.
Bank holidays can also be proclaimed by the King under the Royal Proclamation. In a previous document from 2019, Parliament shared how the late Queen can decide if a bank holiday should be a different day.
This is a power the new King should also possess.
The website reads: “Bank holidays can be changed by Royal Proclamation. If a bank holiday is set by the legislation, the Queen can proclaim that it will be changed to a different day.
“If it is a bank holiday that is already made by proclamation each year, the Queen can simply proclaim it on a different day. The Queen can also proclaim extra bank holidays, most recently done in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee.
“By convention the Queen acts on the advice of Ministers. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is the Government department responsible for bank holidays.
“The proclamations moving the Early May bank holiday in 2020 were published in the London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes on 12 July.
“The last time the Early May bank holiday was moved was in 1995, when it was moved from the first to the second Monday of May. This was to mark the 50th anniversary of VE Day.”
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Are bank holidays created often?
The short answer to this in 2025 appears to be no. Parliament states there is often calls for an additional bank holiday as each year goes back, but these have “rejected” due to the “substantial cost to the UK economy.”
Am I entitled to a day off on a bank holiday?
As Parliament explains in an updated document from this year, there is no “statutory right” to a day off work on a bank holiday, but adds “most workers do get one.”
It continues: “A worker’s right, or lack thereof, to leave on these days will be determined by their individual employment contract. “
An employer may require a worker to attend work on a bank holiday if entitled to do so by the contract or industry custom.”
In the explainer on bank holidays from 2019, Parliament also added: “While there is a statutory right to 5.6 weeks of annual leave, the law does not specify dates on which this must be taken.
“Arrangements for bank holidays will usually be set out in the employment contract. In addition, all employees (and workers from 6 April 2020) must be given a written statement by their employer setting out the terms and conditions of their employment, including those concerning holidays.
“Some workers will have a contract that provide for 5.6 weeks of leave, including bank holidays. In 2007, the Blair Government legislated to increase the statutory leave entitlement by 1.6 weeks (from 20 to 28 days for full-time workers), precisely because many employers were doing this.
“Some workers will have a contractual right to 5.6 weeks leave plus bank holidays. Others may be required to work on bank holidays and take their 5.6 weeks of leave on other days. Contracts that refer to ‘bank holidays’ should define the term, indicating whether it includes public holidays and whether it covers additional bank holidays or just the ‘usual eight’.
“If there is no written contract, arrangements for time off will depend on a verbal agreements or industry custom.”