Bank Holidays in the UK & Ireland

Published July 24, 2022 by Carsten
Last updated February 8, 2023

Time to escape the daily grind

Bank holidays are always a well-earned break from the daily grind. If you are new to the UK, then you may not yet know what they are all about.

What are Bank Holidays?

A definition for the UK and Ireland

Occasionally, a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. In that case, a weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday. Source: gov.uk

Are Bank holidays the same as public holidays in the UK?

If not, what's the difference?

In Britain, people use “bank holiday” and “public holiday” synonymously when talking about "a day off". But there is a (legal) difference between the two phrases.

Let's look at the details…

In the United Kingdom, the phrase “bank holiday” refers to certain public holidays created under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. Only the days defined in this Act are “real” Bank Holidays, as defined by this statute.

Holidays like Christmas or Good Friday are customary holidays. Other holidays are proclaimed by the King and published each summer in The Gazette.

Where do Bank Holidays come from?

A bit of bank holiday history

Bank holidays have been subject to government regulation over the past 200 years.

In the early 19th century, the Bank of England closed on more than 30 days per year, honouring certain Saints' days and anniversaries.

This was reduced to a mere 4 bank holidays in 1834:

• Good Friday (Friday before Easter)
• 1st of May
• 1st of November
• Christmas Day.

With the Bank Holiday Act in 1871, 4 days were declared a statutory bank holiday in England, Wales, and Ireland: Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August and Boxing Day. Scotland at that time had 5 public holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August and Christmas Day.

A hundred years later, in 1971, the Banking and Financial Dealings Act and later amendments established which days of the year would be bank holidays in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

UK Bank holidays 2023

In 2023, there are nine bank holidays in England and Wales, ten in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. There are eleven bank holidays in Northern Ireland.

Bank Holidays 2023: England and Wales

Bank Holidays 2023: Scotland

Bank Holidays 2023: Northern Ireland

Bank Holidays 2023: Republic of Ireland

When are bank holidays in the UK and Ireland?

Every calendar website on the internet will tell you about upcoming bank holidays.

You might as well consult official resources to find the best and most up-to-date information.

Bank holidays England & Wales Bank holidays Scotland Bank holidays Northern Ireland Bank holidays Republic of Ireland Holidays in Europe

School holidays in the UK and Ireland

School terms and holiday dates vary considerably across the UK, so here is a list of official websites providing you with first-hand information about school terms and holiday dates in your region:

School holidays in England School holidays in Northern Ireland School holidays in Wales School holidays in Scotland School holidays in Republic of Ireland

Frequently asked questions