Annual Leave

2026 UK Bank Holidays: How to Maximise Your Annual Leave

The 2026 UK bank holiday dates create some exceptional leave opportunities. Use 18 days leave for 44 days off.

6 min readPublished 10 April 2026•Updated 1 June 2026

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2026 Official UK Bank Holiday Dates

The UK features 8 statutory bank holidays in England & Wales, 9 in Scotland, and 10 in Northern Ireland.

By booking 4 days of leave before Good Friday and 4 days after Easter Monday, you get 16 consecutive days off.

Taking 4 days off around Early May Bank Holiday turns a single weekend into a 9-day break.

Booking December 21-24 and December 29-31 gives you an extended 16-day festive break for only 7 days of annual leave.