UK bank holidays 2027: dates and whether they are paid

In short

• In 2027 there are 8 bank holidays in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland (as of November 2026, GOV.UK). The first is Friday 1 January 2027 and the last is Tuesday 28 December 2027.
• When a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute day becomes the day off, normally the following Monday. In 2027 this applies to Christmas Day and Boxing Day (27 and 28 December) and to 2 January in Scotland (4 January).
• Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on a bank holiday. They can count these days towards your statutory 5.6 weeks of annual leave, so check your employment contract.
• Whether you have to work on a bank holiday is up to your employer and can depend on the industry.
• The dates could still be changed or an extra day added. The table below shows the position as of November 2026.

What are the bank holiday dates in 2027?

The table below collects the dates from GOV.UK data (bank holidays, as of November 2026). A “—” means that part of the UK has no such day on its list. A substitute day is a weekday off that stands in for a holiday that falls on a weekend.

The substitute days follow from the calendar: 25 and 26 December 2027 are a Saturday and a Sunday, and 2 January 2027 is a Saturday. In such cases a substitute weekday becomes the day off, normally the following Monday.

GOV.UK also offers a calendar file (ICS) of bank holidays, for example for England and Wales, that you can add to your own calendar.

If your leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March, the number of bank holidays in that year can change, because it depends on when Easter falls (Acas, as of November 2026).

For ideas for your days off and events in the UK, see the Events section.

Are bank holidays paid?

Not always. Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on bank or public holidays (GOV.UK, as of November 2026). They can, however, choose to include these days in your statutory annual leave.

Almost everyone classed as a “worker” is legally entitled to 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year. According to Acas, bank holidays might be included in this paid holiday, but some employers give them in addition to the statutory minimum. An employer can also choose to offer more leave than the legal minimum. The rule is the same for full-time and part-time workers.

You find out whether bank holidays are included in your holiday entitlement by checking your employment contract (Acas, as of November 2026). We cover holiday entitlement in our guide to employment rights in the UK.

Someone who is self-employed is not usually entitled to paid holiday (Acas, as of November 2026).

Can my employer make me use annual leave for a bank holiday?

Yes, but only under certain conditions. According to Acas (as of November 2026), an employer can make workers take a bank holiday as part of their holiday entitlement if:

1. the bank holiday falls on a day you usually work,
2. the workplace is shut or business stops on that day,
3. the employer made this clear in the employment contract or gave the workers notice that the day needs to be taken as part of their holiday entitlement.

An employer can also tell their staff to take leave, for example on bank holidays or at Christmas. The notice period for this must be at least twice as long as the leave they want their staff to take (GOV.UK, as of November 2026).

Do I have to work on a bank holiday, and what about a day off in lieu?

Whether you have to work on a bank holiday is up to your employer. It might depend on the industry: restaurants and hotels might be more likely to be open (Acas, as of November 2026).

If you work on a bank holiday, you must still get your full 5.6 weeks of statutory holiday as paid time off. The GOV.UK and Acas pages we have used do not describe a higher rate of pay for working on a bank holiday in England, Wales or Scotland. Agree what you will be paid for such a day with your employer and, if in doubt, ask Acas (details in “Where to get help”).

You can ask your employer whether you can work the bank holiday and take another day off instead. This is taking a day's holiday “in lieu”, and the employer does not have to agree. You also cannot be paid instead of taking a bank holiday, unless it is part of the holiday entitlement you have not used when you leave your job.

Bank holidays if you work part-time

If a bank holiday falls on a day you do not usually work, your employer cannot make you use that day as part of your holiday entitlement (Acas, as of November 2026).

Acas gives this example: as more bank holidays fall on a Monday, someone who works Mondays has to use more of their holiday entitlement for bank holidays than someone who does not. In the table above, most of the dates are Mondays.

If an employer gives full-time workers more paid holiday than the legal minimum, they must give part-time workers more than the legal minimum too (Acas, as of November 2026).

Bank holidays when you are off sick or on maternity leave

If bank holidays are included in your holiday entitlement, paid days off for bank holidays will still build up when you are on sick leave or on statutory leave, including maternity leave (Acas, as of November 2026).

We write about sick notes in our guide to fit notes in the UK and about maternity leave in our guide to maternity and paternity leave in the UK.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Wales. In GOV.UK data (as of November 2026) England and Wales share one list (england-and-wales), so the 2027 bank holiday dates in Wales are the same as in England (see the table above).

Scotland. Scotland has 9 days in 2027 (GOV.UK, as of November 2026). It differs from England and Wales as follows:

• a substitute day for 2 January, Monday 4 January,
• St Andrew's Day, Tuesday 30 November,
• the Summer bank holiday is earlier, on 2 August (30 August in England and Wales),
• in GOV.UK data Scotland has no Easter Monday.

Northern Ireland. It has 10 days, two more than England and Wales: St Patrick's Day (Wednesday 17 March) and the Battle of the Boyne (Monday 12 July). The rules on time off are set out there by nidirect (Holiday entitlements, as of November 2026):

• there is no statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays; if your employer gives paid leave on such a day, it can count towards your minimum holiday entitlement,
• the statutory minimum is 5.6 weeks' paid annual leave a year (28 days for someone working five days a week),
• working on a bank or public holiday carries no automatic right to an enhanced rate of pay; what you get paid depends on your contract of employment,
• if you work part-time and your employer gives workers additional time off on bank holidays, you should receive it pro rata too, even if the bank holiday does not fall on your usual working day,
• public holidays are days that have become holidays through custom and practice, such as Christmas Day (nidirect).

Frequently asked questions

Does an extra bank holiday always mean an extra day off?

Not always. Extra bank holidays are sometimes announced, and whether you are entitled to the extra day off depends on your contract (Acas, as of November 2026). According to nidirect, there are laws that allow the dates of bank holidays to be changed, or other holidays to be declared, for example to celebrate special occasions.

Do bank holidays affect when benefits are paid?

They can. GOV.UK says (as of November 2026) that bank holidays might affect how and when your benefits are paid. Check the exact dates in the information about your benefit.

Do I have to take annual leave for a bank holiday that falls on my day off?

If a bank holiday falls on a day you do not usually work, your employer cannot make you use that day as part of your holiday entitlement (Acas, as of November 2026). In Northern Ireland, if you work part-time and your employer gives workers additional time off on bank holidays, you should receive it pro rata too, even if the bank holiday does not fall on your usual working day (nidirect, as of November 2026).

Are Scottish bank holidays the same as in England?

No. In 2027 Scotland has 9 days instead of 8, including 4 January (the substitute day for 2 January) and 30 November (St Andrew's Day), and its Summer bank holiday is on 2 August (GOV.UK, as of November 2026).

Are bank holidays paid in Northern Ireland?

There is no statutory right to paid leave on a bank holiday there (nidirect, as of November 2026). Any right to time off or an enhanced rate of pay for working on a bank holiday depends on the terms of your contract of employment (nidirect).

Where to get help

• Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service): questions about bank holidays, holiday and holiday pay. Helpline 0300 123 11 00, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm; textphone 18001 0300 123 1100 (GOV.UK, as of November 2026). Website: acas.org.uk.
• GOV.UK: the current list of bank holidays and the guide to holiday entitlement. Paid annual leave is a legal right that an employer must provide; if you think your rights to leave and pay are not being met, there are a number of ways to resolve the dispute, described in that guide.
• Northern Ireland: the Labour Relations Agency and Advice NI offer free, confidential and impartial advice on all employment rights issues (nidirect).