Checked Tuesday 13 October 2026
Extra Bank Holidays in the UK
No. No extra bank holiday has been confirmed for 2027 in any part of the UK. Below is what is confirmed for each year, how an extra bank holiday is created and every one-off bank holiday since 1973.
Is there an extra bank holiday in 2026 or 2027 or 2028?
2027
None confirmed
8 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland, 10 in Northern Ireland: the standard days only.
2028
None confirmed
8 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland, 10 in Northern Ireland: the standard days only.
Dates follow the official GOV.UK bank holiday list where published. Later years are calculated from the statutory rules and can change if a holiday is added or moved by royal proclamation.
Every extra bank holiday since 1973
All one-off bank holidays declared under the 1971 Act.
When a bank holiday was moved instead of added
Sometimes an existing bank holiday is shifted for one year, often to sit next to an extra day.
| Date | Day | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Spring bank holidayMovedMoved to June for the Silver Jubilee | England & WalesN. Ireland | |
| Monday | Early May bank holidayMovedMoved for the 50th anniversary of VE Day | All of the UK | |
| Tuesday | Spring bank holidayMovedMoved to June for the Golden Jubilee | All of the UK | |
| Monday | Spring bank holidayMovedMoved to June for the Diamond Jubilee | All of the UK | |
| Friday | Early May bank holidayMovedMoved to Friday for the 75th anniversary of VE Day | All of the UK | |
| Thursday | Spring bank holidayMovedMoved to June for the Platinum Jubilee | All of the UK |
How a new bank holiday is created
The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 lists the standing bank holidays and lets the monarch appoint extra ones by royal proclamation. In practice ministers decide and the proclamation follows, usually months ahead so that employers and schools can plan. Scotland can appoint its own, which is how it came to have a day the rest of the UK did not in 2026.
Proposed extra bank holidays
Ideas for a new bank holiday come up constantly: St George's Day, St David's Day, an autumn day to break the gap before Christmas, or a day off to celebrate a sporting win. Petitions and campaigns do not create a bank holiday. Until a proclamation is made and the date appears on GOV.UK, treat any claim as unconfirmed.
Scotland's World Cup bank holiday, 15 June 2026
Scotland had a one-off bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026 after the men's national team qualified for the World Cup finals. It applied in Scotland only and took the Scottish total for 2026 from nine to ten.
Do you get an extra bank holiday off work?
Not automatically. A bank holiday does not give anyone a legal right to time off. It comes down to the wording of your contract: "20 days plus bank holidays" normally includes an extra one, while "28 days including bank holidays" or a list of named days does not. See bank holiday pay and entitlement.
Extra bank holidays: questions
Is there an extra bank holiday in 2027?
No. No extra bank holiday has been confirmed for 2027 in any part of the UK.
Is there an extra bank holiday this year?
Yes: World Cup bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026, in Scotland.
Is there a new bank holiday in the UK?
No new permanent bank holiday has been created since St Andrew's Day in Scotland in 2007. Extra days since then have all been one-offs for a single year.
Why did Scotland get a World Cup bank holiday?
Monday 15 June 2026 was made a one-off bank holiday in Scotland to mark the men's national football team qualifying for the World Cup finals. It did not apply in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Will England get a bank holiday if they win the World Cup?
Nothing is automatic. A bank holiday for a sporting win would need a royal proclamation, and none is listed on GOV.UK. Proposals are made whenever a team reaches a final, but they are not commitments.
Who decides on extra bank holidays?
They are appointed by royal proclamation under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, on the advice of UK ministers, or of Scottish ministers for Scotland.
Do I get an extra bank holiday off work?
Only if your contract gives it to you. A contract that promises all bank holidays normally includes an extra one; a contract that names a fixed number of days does not.