Bank Holidays 2026-27: What UK Employers Need to Know

For many UK employers, bank holidays are more than just dates in the diary — they have real implications for payroll, staffing, annual leave and contract entitlements. In 2026-27, employers should be aware that the calendar brings a slightly unusual pattern of bank holidays that could affect how you manage time off and holiday entitlement.

Why 2026-27 is Different

In most years, a standard leave year includes eight recognised bank holidays in England and Wales. However, between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027, the way Easter falls means there are 10 bank holidays that fall within a single leave year.  This also means that some years there are less than 8 Bank Holidays that fall within the ‘holiday year’ when starting on 1st April.

It’s not that the law has changed — just that calendar timing has shifted.

This matters because the inclusion of more bank holidays in a leave year can change calculations for holiday entitlements, depending on how your contracts are written.

Key Bank Holiday Dates (England & Wales)

Here are the main bank holiday dates relevant to many UK employers between April 2026 and March 2027:

2026

• 3 April – Good Friday
• 6 April – Easter Monday
• 4 May – Early May Bank Holiday 
• 25 May – Spring Bank Holiday
• 31 August – Summer Bank Holiday
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 28 December – Boxing Day (substitute day)

2027

• 1 January – New Year’s Day
• 26 March – Good Friday
• 29 March – Easter Monday

NOTE: Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different lists of bank holidays, with additional dates such as St Andrew’s Day and St Patrick’s Day applicable in those nations.

To put this into context here are the number of bank holidays that fall within the 1st April to 31st March Holiday year from 2024 to 2029

Are Employers Required to Give Time Off?

There’s an important distinction in UK employment law:

• There is no statutory right for employees to have paid time off on bank holidays specifically. 
• UK workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave under the Working Time Regulations — but this can either include or exclude bank holidays depending on contract wording.

What this means:

• If a contract includes bank holidays within total annual leave, employees will not get extra paid days off just because there are more bank holidays next year.
• If contracts provide daily leave plus bank holidays on top, employees could be entitled to extra paid leave in 2026-27 because there are more bank holidays falling in your leave year. 

What to Check in Your Contracts

How you treat bank holidays for holiday entitlement depends entirely on contractual wording. Here are the typical scenarios:

1. “Holiday allowance plus bank holidays” – Employees get their full annual leave and all bank holidays as additional days off. In 2026-27, that could mean two extra days’ leave compared with a normal year.

2. “Holiday inclusive of bank holidays” – Total entitlement is fixed (e.g., 28 days including bank holidays). Even with two extra bank holidays in the leave year, employees don’t get extra days.

3. Capped bank holidays – Some contracts specify the exact number of bank holidays staff are entitled to (e.g., “8 bank holidays”). In this case, entitlement doesn’t increase automatically.

Practical Steps for Employers

To prepare and avoid confusion:

Review contract wording – Check how bank holidays are counted to understand whether your staff are due extra leave in 2026-27.

Communicate with staff early – Share your bank holiday policy clearly so employees know what to expect.

Plan operational coverage – If your business stays open on bank holidays, plan staffing and pay (especially if offering time off in lieu). 

Check pro-rata for part-time staff – Holiday and bank holiday entitlement should be proportionate to hours worked.

Why This Matters

With an unusual number of bank holidays falling within one leave year, 2026-27 could catch employers off-guard if contracts aren’t reviewed ahead of time. Getting this right ensures compliance, avoids disputes and supports good workforce planning.

If you have any uncertainty about contracts, time off policies or how to implement your bank holiday arrangements fairly and legally, consult your HR adviser or employment law specialist

Alternatively if you don’t have either of these we can help through our partnership with WorkNest. Contact us to find out more.