Christmas bank holidays 2026 UK (and New Year 2027)
Christmas Day 2026 is a Friday and Boxing Day is a Saturday, so the Boxing Day bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. Here are the official Christmas and New Year bank holidays for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the fewest days of annual leave to book for the longest break.
Christmas and New Year bank holidays 2026/27
| Date | Bank holiday | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monday 28 December 2026 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Friday 1 January 2027 | New Year's Day | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monday 4 January 2027 | 2 January (substitute day) | – | ✓ | – |
Christmas Eve (Thursday 24 December) and New Year's Eve (Thursday 31 December) are not bank holidays anywhere in the UK, although some employers give time off.
How many days to book off over Christmas 2026
Booking 3 days of annual leave in England & Wales gets you 10 days in a row off. Booking the whole of Christmas week too gives an even longer break. Working days here are Monday to Friday, not counting bank holidays.
| Nation | Days to book | Book these days | Time off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | 3 | Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 10 days (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027) |
| England & Wales | 7 | Mon 21 Dec, Tue 22 Dec, Wed 23 Dec, Thu 24 Dec, Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 16 days (Sat 19 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027) |
| Scotland | 3 | Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 11 days (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027) |
| Scotland | 7 | Mon 21 Dec, Tue 22 Dec, Wed 23 Dec, Thu 24 Dec, Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 17 days (Sat 19 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027) |
| Northern Ireland | 3 | Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 10 days (Fri 25 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027) |
| Northern Ireland | 7 | Mon 21 Dec, Tue 22 Dec, Wed 23 Dec, Thu 24 Dec, Tue 29 Dec, Wed 30 Dec, Thu 31 Dec | 16 days (Sat 19 Dec 2026 to Sun 3 Jan 2027) |
Premium printable
Plan the rest of your 2027 leave
- Booking guide: which days to book for the most time off in 2027
- Year planners for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Allowance calculator and monthly running total
- Leave log (2 pages) and a team leave overview
Instant PDF download, sold through Gumroad. Print at home on A4.
Christmas and New Year bank holidays 2027/28
In 2027 Christmas Day is a Saturday and Boxing Day is a Sunday, so both bank holidays move to the following Monday and Tuesday. New Year's Day 2028 is a Saturday, so its bank holiday moves to Monday 3 January.
| Date | Bank holiday | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 27 December 2027 | Christmas Day (substitute day) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tuesday 28 December 2027 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Monday 3 January 2028 | New Year's Day (substitute day) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tuesday 4 January 2028 | 2 January (substitute day) | – | ✓ | – |
| Nation | Days to book | Book these days | Time off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|
| England & Wales | 3 | Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 10 days (Sat 25 Dec 2027 to Mon 3 Jan 2028) |
| England & Wales | 8 | Mon 20 Dec, Tue 21 Dec, Wed 22 Dec, Thu 23 Dec, Fri 24 Dec, Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 17 days (Sat 18 Dec 2027 to Mon 3 Jan 2028) |
| Scotland | 3 | Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 11 days (Sat 25 Dec 2027 to Tue 4 Jan 2028) |
| Scotland | 8 | Mon 20 Dec, Tue 21 Dec, Wed 22 Dec, Thu 23 Dec, Fri 24 Dec, Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 18 days (Sat 18 Dec 2027 to Tue 4 Jan 2028) |
| Northern Ireland | 3 | Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 10 days (Sat 25 Dec 2027 to Mon 3 Jan 2028) |
| Northern Ireland | 8 | Mon 20 Dec, Tue 21 Dec, Wed 22 Dec, Thu 23 Dec, Fri 24 Dec, Wed 29 Dec, Thu 30 Dec, Fri 31 Dec | 17 days (Sat 18 Dec 2027 to Mon 3 Jan 2028) |
Bank holiday dates are from the official GOV.UK list, checked October 2026. Shift workers and some sectors work bank holidays, so check your contract and your employer's leave rules.
Annual leave planner 2027 · 2027 bank holidays · December payday dates
Premium printable
2027 UK Monthly Calendar
- 3 PDFs: England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland editions
- 14 pages each: cover, year at a glance and 12 month-to-view pages
- Monday-start weeks with ISO week numbers
- Every 2027 bank holiday labelled, including substitute days
Instant PDF download, sold through Gumroad. Print at home on A4.