A bank holiday in England is a day when banks and most businesses close, and most workers get the day off with pay

In England, a bank holiday is a public holiday set by law. The banks shut. The post office shuts. Most shops, offices, and schools close. If you work for an employer, you usually get the day off and are still paid — though the rules depend on your employment contract and which holiday it is.

The term "bank holiday" comes from the 19th century, when the Bank of England's closure on certain days meant that financial transactions stopped across the country. The name stuck, even though today the holiday applies to far more than just banks. England has between eight and ten bank holidays each year, depending on whether there is a special coronation or jubilee.

Bank holidays are different from the rest of the UK. Scotland has nine regular bank holidays but different dates for some of them. Northern Ireland and Wales each have their own separate lists. If you live in England or work for an English employer, you follow the English bank holiday calendar.

Key Takeaways

  • England has eight regular bank holidays each year, plus occasional extra ones for royal events or national occasions.
  • Banks, post offices, courts, and most shops close on bank holidays, though some supermarkets and petrol stations stay open.
  • If your employment contract says you get bank holidays off, you must be paid your normal wage for that day.
  • The dates are set by the government and do not change year to year, except for Easter-related holidays which move with the calendar.
  • If you work on a bank holiday, your employer must either give you a day off in lieu or pay you extra — the contract determines which.

The eight regular bank holidays in England and when they fall

New Year's Day falls on 1 January. Good Friday and Easter Monday move each year because Easter is calculated from the lunar calendar — in 2024 they fell on 29 March and 1 April, but in 2025 they fall on 18 April and 21 April. Early May Bank Holiday is always the first Monday in May. Spring Bank Holiday is the last Monday in May.

Summer Bank Holiday is the last Monday in August. Christmas Day is 25 December. Boxing Day is 26 December. If Christmas Day or Boxing Day falls on a weekend, the bank holiday moves to the following Monday or Tuesday instead — so if Christmas is on a Saturday, you get Monday 27 December off as a substitute.

The government can declare extra bank holidays for special occasions. The coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 created an additional bank holiday that year. The Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022 added an extra day. These are announced in advance but do not happen every year.

What actually closes on a bank holiday

Banks close completely. The Post Office closes. Courts do not sit. Schools close. Most offices and shops close. However, the rule is not absolute — large supermarkets, petrol stations, and some tourist attractions stay open. Hospitals and emergency services run normally. Public transport runs, though often on a reduced or Sunday-style timetable.

If you need to pay a bill or send a cheque on a bank holiday, you cannot do it that day. Payments you make online or by standing order will process on the next working day. If a important date falls on a bank holiday — for instance, a tax return due on a bank holiday — the important date usually moves to the next working day automatically, but you should check with the relevant organisation to be certain.

Your pay and time off on a bank holiday

If your employment contract includes bank holidays as paid days off, you must receive your normal wage for that day even though you do not work. This is a legal right under UK employment law. Your employer cannot force you to work a bank holiday without either paying you extra or giving you a day off in lieu.

The amount of extra pay varies by contract. Some employers pay time-and-a-half or double time if you work a bank holiday. Others give you a day off in lieu — meaning you take a different day off later at normal pay. Some do both. Your contract should state what happens; if it does not, ask your employer in writing and keep the reply.

If you are self-employed or a freelancer, bank holidays do not automatically give you time off. You do not get paid unless you work or have a client agreement that covers it. Many freelancers straightforward do not work on bank holidays and plan their income around that.

Bank holidays and your financial transactions

Payments you send on a bank holiday will not clear until the next working day. If you use online banking or a mobile app to transfer money, the transaction will show as pending, and the money will leave your account on the next business day. Standing orders and direct debits process normally — the system handles them automatically overnight.

If you need cash and the banks are closed, ATMs still work. Most supermarkets and petrol stations have cash machines that run 24 hours. However, if you need to speak to someone at your bank — to report a lost card, dispute a transaction, or ask a question — you will have to wait until the next working day.

Cheques take longer to clear on or around bank holidays. A cheque deposited on a Friday before a Monday bank holiday will not clear until Wednesday at the earliest. If you are waiting for a cheque to clear before making a payment, factor in the extra days.

How bank holidays affect your benefits and government payments

If you receive benefits or a government payment that normally arrives on a bank holiday, it will arrive on the next working day instead. Your payment schedule does not change — the money straightforward arrives one day later. This applies to Universal Credit, State Pension, Child Benefit, and other regular payments.

If you need to contact a government office on a bank holiday, they will be closed. You can use online services — most government websites allow you to check your account or submit forms at any time — but you cannot speak to anyone by phone or visit in person. Plan ahead if you need to resolve something before a bank holiday.

Bank holidays in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

England's bank holidays do not explore in the rest of the UK. Scotland has nine bank holidays, including New Year's Day and 2 January (which England does not observe as bank holidays). Wales and Northern Ireland have eight, but some fall on different dates than in England.

If you work for a company with offices in multiple parts of the UK, your local office follows the bank holidays of the country where it is based. If you work remotely for a Scottish company but live in England, you follow the Scottish calendar. Check your employment contract or ask your HR department which calendar applies to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to work on a bank holiday?

Your employer cannot force you to work unless your contract specifically says bank holidays are working days. If you do work, you must be paid extra or given a day off in lieu. Some jobs — healthcare, retail, hospitality — routinely work bank holidays and build this into the contract from the start.

What if a bank holiday falls on a weekend?

The bank holiday moves to the next weekday. If Christmas Day is a Saturday, you get Monday 27 December off instead. If Boxing Day is a Sunday, you get Tuesday 28 December off. Your employer must give you the substitute day off unless your contract says otherwise.

Can I get paid holiday on top of bank holidays?

Bank holidays and annual leave are separate. You get both. If your contract says you have 20 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, you get 20 days to use as you choose, and the bank holidays are additional. Some employers count bank holidays as part of your annual leave entitlement — check your contract.

Will my payment process on a bank holiday if I use online banking?

The transaction will show as pending on the bank holiday, but the money will not leave your account until the next working day. The recipient will not receive it until then either. Standing orders and direct debits process automatically overnight, so they are not affected by bank holidays.

What happens if a important date falls on a bank holiday?

Most important date automatically move to the next working day — tax returns, court filings, and benefit applications all follow this rule. However, you should confirm with the organisation involved. Some important date are fixed and do not move, so do not assume.