1 day of leave, 4 days off
Bank holidays 2028 across the UK
Bank holidays 2028 for 3 nations in the UK, each from its official list. The best deal of the year: Scotland, 30 November to 3 December, 4 days off for 1 day of annual leave.
- shared holidays
- 6
- on weekdays
- 6
- Holidays per region
- 8 to 10
- Regions in the planner
- 3
2028 at a glance
The UK has three bank holiday lists: England and Wales share one, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own. GOV.UK publishes them, and most employers include them in the 28 days of statutory leave. Pick your nation for the full list and the best days to book off.
Scotland
England6 days are shared by every nation listed here: New Year's Day (Monday 3 January), Good Friday (Friday 14 April), Early May bank holiday (Monday 1 May), Spring bank holiday (Monday 29 May), Christmas Day (Monday 25 December) and Boxing Day (Tuesday 26 December).
ScotlandEnglandThe days everyone gets in 2028
What each shared day marks and where it falls this year.
- Monday 3 January: New Year's Day. New Year's Day is a bank holiday across the UK, a quiet day after the midnight celebrations. When it falls on a weekend, the day off moves to the following weekday.
- Friday 14 April: Good Friday. Good Friday is a bank holiday across the UK. It opens the Easter weekend, which often overlaps with school Easter holidays, so book trips early.
- Monday 1 May: Early May bank holiday. The Early May bank holiday falls on the first Monday of May, often with May Day fairs and morris dancing. It opens the spring season of long weekends in the UK.
- Monday 29 May: Spring bank holiday. The Spring bank holiday on the last Monday of May lines up with half term in many schools, making it one of the busiest weeks for UK breaks at home and abroad.
- Monday 25 December: Christmas Day. Christmas Day is a bank holiday across the UK, when almost all shops and public transport close. Booking leave in the days between Christmas and New Year gives a long break for few days of leave.
- Tuesday 26 December: Boxing Day. Boxing Day, 26 December, brings football fixtures, winter walks and the big sales. With Christmas Day it gives two bank holidays in a row, the start of the longest break of the year.
Who gets the most bank holidays in 2028
Northern Ireland leads with 10, followed by Scotland (9) and England and Wales (8).
The most efficient break of the year belongs to Scotland: 30 November to 3 December, 4.0 days off for every day of leave.
2028 by nation
| Region | Bank holidays | Best stretch | Longest break |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 8 (8 on weekdays) | 3 days of leave, 10 days offSat 25 Dec to Mon 3 Jan | 10 days offSat 25 Dec to Mon 3 Jan · 3 |
| Northern Ireland | 10 (10 on weekdays) | 3 days of leave, 10 days offSat 25 Dec to Mon 3 Jan | 10 days offSat 25 Dec to Mon 3 Jan · 3 |
| Scotland | 9 (9 on weekdays) | 1 day of leave, 4 days offThu 30 Nov to Sun 3 Dec | 11 days offSat 25 Dec to Tue 4 Jan · 3 |
Calendar 2028: the shared holidays
- Bank holiday
- Annual leave in a break
- Weekend
- School holidays
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Every nation in 2028
One paragraph per nation: how many full days off, the days that are its own, and the breaks worth booking first.
- England and Wales: 8 bank holidays, 8 on a weekday. Its own: Easter Monday (17 April) and Summer bank holiday (28 August). Best break: 25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028, 10 days off for 3 days of annual leave.
- Northern Ireland: 10 bank holidays, 10 on a weekday. Its own: St Patrick's Day (17 March), Easter Monday (17 April), Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) (12 July) and Summer bank holiday (28 August). Best break: 25 December 2027 to 3 January 2028, 10 days off for 3 days of annual leave.
- Scotland: 9 bank holidays, 9 on a weekday. Its own: 2nd January (4 January), Summer bank holiday (7 August) and St Andrew's Day (30 November). Best break: 30 November to 3 December, 4 days off for 1 day of annual leave. Longest: 11 days from 25 December for 3 days of annual leave.
The days that differ by nation
Beyond the shared days, each nation keeps its own. These are the ones that decide whose long weekends are longer in 2028.
- 2nd January, Tuesday 4 January: Scotland. Scotland adds 2 January to New Year's Day, a tradition from Hogmanay. Two days off in a row make the Scottish New Year one of the longest winter breaks in the UK.
- St Patrick's Day, Friday 17 March: Northern Ireland. St Patrick's Day, Ireland's national day, is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. Belfast and towns across the province hold parades, music and festivals.
- Easter Monday, Monday 17 April: England and Wales and Northern Ireland. Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not in Scotland. Together with Good Friday it creates a four day Easter weekend, a peak time for UK breaks.
- Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day), Wednesday 12 July: Northern Ireland. The Twelfth marks the Battle of the Boyne and is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland. Parades take place across the province, and many people use the week around it for a summer holiday.
- Summer bank holiday, Monday 7 August: Scotland. The Summer bank holiday closes the school summer. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it falls on the last Monday of August, in Scotland on the first; beaches, festivals and roads get busy.
- Summer bank holiday, Monday 28 August: England and Wales and Northern Ireland. The Summer bank holiday closes the school summer. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it falls on the last Monday of August, in Scotland on the first; beaches, festivals and roads get busy.
- St Andrew's Day, Thursday 30 November: Scotland. St Andrew's Day honours Scotland's patron saint on 30 November. When it falls on a weekend, the bank holiday moves to the Monday, and ceilidhs and Scottish food fill the calendar.
2028 season by season
Winter: New Year's Day on Monday 3 January, Christmas Day on Monday 25 December and Boxing Day on Tuesday 26 December. A bank holiday on a Monday or Friday gives a three-day weekend for everyone in the UK.
Spring: Good Friday on Friday 14 April, Early May bank holiday on Monday 1 May and Spring bank holiday on Monday 29 May. A bank holiday on a Monday or Friday gives a three-day weekend for everyone in the UK.
The shared holidays 2028
| Date | Weekday | Bank holiday | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 January | Monday | New Year's Day | nationwide |
| 14 April | Friday | Good Friday | nationwide |
| 1 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday | nationwide |
| 29 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday | nationwide |
| 25 December | Monday | Christmas Day | nationwide |
| 26 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day | nationwide |
Each region's own holidays are listed on its page.
Trip ideas for the long weekends of 2028
Places with the right climate for the three strongest stretches, flights from LHR. Each region's page uses the airport closest to you.
30 November to 3 December: 1 day of leave, 4 days off
Short flight in December, flights from LHR
iPhoto: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsCosta Blanca15 °C by day · Sea 16 °C · Flight about 2 h 18Plan a trip for these daysSee Costa Blanca
Lisbon16 °C by day · Sea 16 °C · Flight about 2 h 24, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Lisbon
Rome13 °C by day · Flight about 2 h 16, directPlan a trip for these daysSee Rome
25 December to 3 January: 3 days of leave, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from LHR
iPhoto: Darymaister · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWestern Sahara24 °C by day · Flight about 3 h 56Plan a trip for these daysSee Western Sahara
iPhoto: Lviatour · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLanzarote20 °C by day · Sea 20 °C · Flight about 3 h 44Plan a trip for these daysSee Lanzarote
iPhoto: Marco Riss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAgadir22 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 3 h 26Plan a trip for these daysSee Agadir
25 December to 3 January: 3 days of leave, 10 days off
Warm, up to 4 hours away in December, flights from LHR
- iPhoto: Darymaister · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsWestern Sahara24 °C by day · Flight about 3 h 56Plan a trip for these daysSee Western Sahara
- iPhoto: Lviatour · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLanzarote20 °C by day · Sea 20 °C · Flight about 3 h 44Plan a trip for these daysSee Lanzarote
- iPhoto: Marco Riss · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsAgadir22 °C by day · Sea 18 °C · Flight about 3 h 26Plan a trip for these daysSee Agadir
Where these dates come from
Each nation page is built from that nation's own official list, read directly and checked against a second independent source. Nations whose 2028 list is not out yet appear as soon as it is published; nothing is ever copied from a neighbour.
The best breaks use weekends and full days off only, with up to ten days of annual leave, and are ranked by days off per day of leave.
Bank Holiday Planner 2028: frequently asked questions
Which nation has the most bank holidays in 2028?
Northern Ireland, with 10.
What is the best long weekend of 2028?
30 November to 3 December in Scotland: 1 day of annual leave for 4 days off.
How do I plan my days of annual leave for 2028?
Open your nation, start with the breaks at the top of the table, and book them early: flights and stays fill up fast around bank holidays.
Your region
How the Bank Holiday Planner works
Holidays: the public holidays from each region's official list, checked date by date.
Stretches: start and end on a day off, include at least one holiday and at most 10 days of leave. Saturday and Sunday count as free.
Trip ideas: the month's climate and flights from the main airport.
