UK workers can now plan ahead for 2026 with all eight confirmed bank holidays set, including a key scheduling change that creates an extended Christmas break. The year delivers the standard allocation of statutory days with no additional celebrations planned.
The most significant shift involves Boxing Day falling on Saturday, December 26, triggering a substitute bank holiday on Monday, December 28. This arrangement extends the Christmas period into a four-day weekend for most workers.
Easter arrives earlier than 2025, with Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. The timing shift provides spring planning opportunities for those booking annual leave around the long weekend.
Complete 2026 schedule
New Year's Day opens the calendar on Thursday, January 1, setting the foundation for the year's holiday pattern. The April Easter holidays follow, delivering the traditional spring break period.
May provides two separate long weekends with the Early May bank holiday on Monday, May 4, and the Spring bank holiday on Monday, May 25. These dates maintain the established pattern for spring celebrations.
The Summer bank holiday concludes the seasonal calendar on Monday, August 31, positioned strategically at the end of school summer holidays. Christmas Day then arrives on Friday, December 25, leading into the extended Boxing Day weekend.
Strategic planning opportunities
Workers can maximise their annual leave by booking strategic days around these confirmed dates to create extended breaks. The Christmas period offers particular value with the substitute Boxing Day creating natural long weekend opportunities.
The timing of Easter and May bank holidays provides multiple chances for spring getaways. Planning annual leave around these dates allows workers to stretch their holiday entitlement significantly further throughout the year.
Sources used: "Bristol Post", "Liverpool Echo", "Express", "Birmingham Mail" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
