What bank holidays are and why they matter to your account

A bank holiday in the UK is a day when banks, building societies, and most financial institutions are closed by law. On these days, you cannot visit a branch, speak to someone in person, or carry out transactions that require staff. However, you can still use ATMs, online banking, and mobile apps — those run 24/7 regardless of the day.

The key thing to understand is that bank holidays do not stop money moving between accounts. If you set up a standing order or direct debit before a bank holiday, it will still go out on the scheduled date. But if you need something done by a person — a mortgage process reviewed, a cheque cleared, a payment investigated — it will not happen until the next working day.

Bank holidays also affect how long transfers take. A payment you send on a bank holiday may not leave your account until the next day the bank is open, which can push the arrival date back by a day or more depending on which holidays fall in between.

Key Takeaways

  • Bank holidays in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set by the government, while Scotland has different dates and one extra holiday.
  • Automated payments like standing orders and direct debits process on their scheduled date even if it falls on a bank holiday, but manual staff-dependent tasks do not.
  • Transfers sent on a bank holiday will not leave your account until the next working day, which can add one or more days to the journey time.
  • ATMs, online banking, and mobile apps work normally on bank holidays — only branch services and phone lines with staff support close.

The full list of UK bank holidays and when they occur

England, Wales, and Northern Ireland share the same bank holidays. There are eight each year: New Year's Day (1 January), Good Friday (date varies, usually March or April), Easter Monday (date varies, usually March or April), Early May Bank Holiday (first Monday in May), Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May), Summer Bank Holiday (last Monday in August), Christmas Day (25 December), and Boxing Day (26 December).

Scotland has nine bank holidays because it does not observe Easter Monday but instead has a separate New Year holiday on 2 January. The dates for Easter-related holidays shift each year because Easter is calculated from the lunar calendar, so Good Friday and Easter Monday fall between late March and late April.

When a bank holiday falls on a weekend, the following Monday becomes a bank holiday instead — this is called a "substitute bank holiday". For example, if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday, the following Monday becomes a bank holiday. This rule applies to all the fixed-date holidays (New Year's Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day) but not to the moveable ones.

How bank holidays affect standing orders, direct debits, and automated payments

Standing orders and direct debits are processed by automated systems that run regardless of whether the bank is open. If your standing order is set to leave your account on the 15th of each month and the 15th falls on a bank holiday, the payment will still go out on that date. Your bank does not hold it back.

The same applies to salary payments, pension payments, and other automated transfers into your account. If your employer pays you on a Friday that is a bank holiday, the money will still arrive on Friday. The only exception is if your employer's own bank is closed and they cannot initiate the payment — but most large employers use systems that process payments automatically regardless of bank holidays.

What does not happen on a bank holiday is anything that requires a person to look at your account or make a decision. If you need to dispute a transaction, request a refund, or ask the bank to investigate something, that work starts the next working day.

Why transfers take longer when bank holidays are involved

When you send a payment using online banking or a mobile app, the bank needs to process it before it leaves your account. If you send it on a bank holiday, processing does not start until the next working day. This means the payment sits in your account for an extra day before it even begins its journey to the receiving bank.

Once a payment does leave your account, it travels through the banking system via Faster Payments (usually same-day for amounts under £100,000) or BACS (usually three working days). Bank holidays count as non-working days, so they add to the journey time. A payment sent on a Friday before a Monday bank holiday will not leave until Tuesday, and if it uses BACS, it will not arrive until Friday at the earliest.

To avoid delays, send payments on a working day before the bank holiday if you know one is coming. If you need money to arrive by a specific date and a bank holiday falls in between, send it earlier than you normally would.

What you can and cannot do on a bank holiday

You can use your debit card to pay for things in shops, withdraw cash from ATMs, check your balance on your phone, and move money between your own accounts using online banking. You can also set up new standing orders or direct debits through the app — these will be processed on their scheduled date even if that date is a bank holiday.

You cannot visit a branch to speak to someone, call a number that connects you to staff (though some banks have skeleton teams for emergencies), pay in a cheque at the counter, or get an urgent issue resolved by a person. If you need to pay in a cheque, use a cheque imaging service if your bank offers one — you photograph the cheque using the app and it is processed the next working day.

Some banks offer limited phone support on bank holidays for genuine emergencies — lost cards, fraud, or account lockouts — but standard customer service lines are closed. Check your bank's website before a bank holiday if you think you might need help.

Planning around bank holidays to avoid payment delays

If you have a bill due on or just after a bank holiday, send the payment at least one working day before the holiday. For example, if a bill is due on a Tuesday and Monday is a bank holiday, send the payment on Friday. This gives the bank time to process it before the holiday and the receiving bank time to receive it by Tuesday.

If you are expecting a payment — a refund, a salary, a benefit payment — and a bank holiday falls before the date you expect it, assume it may arrive one day later than usual. Refunds from shops or online retailers may also be delayed because their bank is closed.

For large or time-sensitive payments, use Faster Payments if your bank offers it, as it is quicker than BACS. Check the cut-off time for same-day processing — most banks require payments to be sent by mid-afternoon on a working day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do ATMs work on bank holidays?

Yes. ATMs are automated machines that run 24/7, including on bank holidays and weekends. You can withdraw cash, check your balance, and transfer money between your own accounts at any time.

Will my salary arrive on time if payday is a bank holiday?

Usually yes, because salary payments are automated and process regardless of bank holidays. However, if your employer's payroll system is closed on the bank holiday and they cannot initiate the payment, it may arrive the next working day. Check with your employer if you are unsure.

Can I pay a cheque in on a bank holiday?

Not at a branch — they are closed. If your bank offers cheque imaging, you can photograph the cheque using the app and it will be processed the next working day. Otherwise, you will need to wait until the branch reopens.

What happens if I send a transfer on a bank holiday?

The payment will not leave your account until the next working day. If it uses Faster Payments, it should arrive the same day it leaves. If it uses BACS, it will take three working days from the day it leaves your account.

Are building societies closed on bank holidays?

Yes, building societies follow the same bank holiday closures as banks. Online and app services work normally, but branches and phone lines with staff are closed.