{"id":670564,"date":"2026-01-03T05:59:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/670564\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T05:59:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T05:59:13","slug":"england-and-wales-eight-2026-bank-holidays-plus-extras-for-scotland-and-northern-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/670564\/","title":{"rendered":"England and Wales eight 2026 bank holidays – plus extras for Scotland and Northern Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"

How many days off depend on which country you live in – some get eight, while others get as many as 10<\/p>\n

Elaine Blackburne<\/strong> Network Content Editor<\/p>\n

03:30, 03 Jan 2026<\/p>\n

\"3DThere are between eight and 10 bank holidays in the UK(Image: Getty)<\/p>\n

The government has published bank holiday dates for 2026 – but has been left with a “change them” plea. In a post on X it set out the days which will be classed as a public holiday.<\/p>\n

People in England and Wales have eight listed days. However those living in Scotland get nine and Northern Ireland residents see theirs reach 10.<\/p>\n

The dates often cover popular holidays such as like Christmas<\/a> Day and Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Easter<\/a>. However in Scotland people get an extra day off on January 2 and those in Northern Ireland get two more days, to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and mark the Battle of the Boyne.<\/p>\n

However, some dates have been criticised as being too long between the days off. Those living in Northern Ireland usually get a day off for the Battle of the Boyne, traditionally on July 12, and Scotland has a day off at the beginning of August.<\/p>\n

But, people living in England and Wales have to wait from the end of May to the end of August. And writing on X, formerly Twitter, Paul urged them to have a rethink.<\/p>\n

Content cannot be displayed without consent<\/p>\n

He said: “Please arrange a bank holiday<\/a> in summer. Nothing between the end of May and the end of August is ludicrous.”<\/p>\n

There have been bank holidays since 1871 in the UK when an Act of Parliament agreed to allow banks to close on these days, giving the time off its name. Previously, all countries had a day off on the first Monday in August, but in 1971, a new law formally moved it to the last Monday of the month for everywhere but Scotland.<\/p>\n

People living in England and Wales have fewer public holidays than almost anywhere else across the globe. Only Mexico is worse off for the annual days off, with its citizens getting just seven.<\/p>\n

2026 bank holidays in England & Wales<\/strong><\/p>\n