The UK bank holidays 2028 for England and Wales are Monday, January 3 (the substitute for New Year’s Day, which falls on a Saturday); Good Friday, April 14; Easter Monday, April 17; Monday, May 1; Monday, May 29; Monday, August 28; and Christmas Day and Boxing Day on Monday, December 25 and Tuesday, December 26. That is 8 bank holidays in England and Wales. Here are the dates and days, the Scottish and Northern Irish differences, how Easter sets the spring dates, and a free printable bank holidays 2028 calendar.
UK Bank Holidays 2028 at a glance
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Saturday | New Year’s Day |
| January 3 | Monday | New Year’s Day (observed) |
| April 14 | Friday | Good Friday |
| April 17 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| May 29 | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| August 28 | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| December 25 | Monday | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | Tuesday | Boxing Day |
Dates for England and Wales follow the published GOV.UK bank holiday rules. Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different days, listed below.
UK bank holidays 2028: printable calendars
Download a 2028 calendar with the UK bank holidays already marked: a year at a glance and all 12 months on A4 with a Monday start, April with Good Friday and Easter Monday, and December with Christmas and Boxing Day. Each one is a ready-to-print PDF, so you have a bank holidays 2028 UK calendar for the office, the school run and the fridge.
Long weekends in 2028
These holidays fall on a Monday or Friday, giving a three-day weekend: New Year’s Day (observed) (Monday, January 3); Good Friday (Friday, April 14); Easter Monday (Monday, April 17); Early May bank holiday (Monday, May 1); Spring bank holiday (Monday, May 29); Summer bank holiday (Monday, August 28); Christmas Day (Monday, December 25).
On a weekend in 2028: New Year’s Day (Saturday, January 1).
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland also has New Year Holiday (Sunday, January 2); New Year Holiday (observed) (Tuesday, January 4); Summer Bank Holiday (Monday, August 7); Saint Andrew’s Day (Thursday, November 30), and does not have Easter Monday or the late August holiday.
Northern Ireland also has Saint Patrick’s Day (Friday, March 17); Battle of the Boyne (Wednesday, July 12).
About each holiday
- New Year’s Day: The first day of the year.
- Good Friday: Remembers the crucifixion of Jesus; the Friday before Easter Sunday.
- Easter Monday: The day after Easter Sunday.
- Early May bank holiday: The first Monday of May.
- Spring bank holiday: The last Monday of May.
- Summer bank holiday: The last Monday of August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Christmas Day: Celebrates the birth of Jesus and is a public holiday in many countries.
- Boxing Day: The day after Christmas; a public holiday in the UK, Canada and Australia.
Why Easter changes the UK bank holidays 2028
Good Friday and Easter Monday are the two bank holidays that move the most, because Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21, as set by church tables. In 2028 Easter is on April 16, which is late, so Good Friday is April 14 and Easter Monday is April 17. Early dates and late dates change the whole spring: a late Easter leaves only two weeks before the early May bank holiday on May 1.
| Year | Easter Sunday | Good Friday | Easter Monday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | April 5 | April 3 | April 6 |
| 2027 | March 28 | March 26 | March 29 |
| 2028 | April 16 | April 14 | April 17 |
| 2029 | April 1 | March 30 | April 2 |
| 2030 | April 21 | April 19 | April 22 |
UK bank holidays 2028 by nation
| Nation | Number | Bank holidays that differ from England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 8 | The list above |
| Scotland | 9 | Extra New Year day on Tuesday, January 4; summer holiday on Monday, August 7; St Andrew’s Day on Thursday, November 30; no Easter Monday |
| Northern Ireland | 10 | St Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 17; Battle of the Boyne on Wednesday, July 12 |
Scotland and Northern Ireland also have the same substitute for New Year’s Day on Monday, January 3, 2028, and the same Christmas and Boxing Day holidays on December 25 and 26.
UK bank holidays 2028: substitute days and a leap year
New Year’s Day 2028 is a Saturday, so the first of the UK bank holidays 2028 moves to Monday, January 3. Christmas Day is a Monday and Boxing Day a Tuesday, so neither needs a substitute. 2028 is a leap year, and February 29 is a Tuesday, but leap day is an ordinary working day. The GOV.UK bank holidays page lists the official dates, and Wikipedia’s public holidays in the United Kingdom article has the history of each one.
Plan your leave around the UK bank holidays 2028
| Break | Leave to take | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| Easter | Tuesday, April 18 to Friday, April 21 (4 days) | 10: Friday, April 14 to Sunday, April 23 |
| Early May | None needed | 3: Saturday, April 29 to Monday, May 1 |
| Spring | None needed | 3: Saturday, May 27 to Monday, May 29 |
| Summer | None needed | 3: Saturday, August 26 to Monday, August 28 |
| Christmas and New Year | Wednesday, December 27 to Friday, December 29 (3 days) | 10: Saturday, December 23 to Monday, January 1, 2029 |
New Year’s Day 2029 is a Monday, so it is a bank holiday of its own. That is what turns three days of leave over Christmas into a 10-day break.
Bank holidays 2028 UK: pay and part-time work
Employees in the UK get at least 5.6 weeks of paid leave a year, and an employer can include bank holidays in that total. Part-time employees normally get a pro rata share of bank holiday leave, so ask your employer how it is worked out. Always check your contract, and add the dates to a printable calendar so the team can see them early.
UK bank holidays 2028 compared with 2027
| Holiday | 2028 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Monday, January 3 (substitute) | Friday, January 1 |
| Good Friday | April 14 | March 26 |
| Easter Monday | April 17 | March 29 |
| Early May | May 1 | May 3 |
| Spring | May 29 | May 31 |
| Summer | August 28 | August 30 |
| Christmas Day | Monday, December 25 | Monday, December 27 (substitute) |
| Boxing Day | Tuesday, December 26 | Tuesday, December 28 (substitute) |
Bank holidays 2028 UK calendar: print it with these dates
The calendar maker below opens with the UK bank holidays for 2028 already marked. Switch between a year at a glance, one page per month or a single month; add another country’s holidays or a festival calendar on top, turn on moon phases, and download a free PDF for US Letter, A4 or A5.
UK bank holidays 2028: frequently asked questions
How many UK bank holidays 2028 are there?
The 2028 bank holidays England and Wales share number 8, while Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10.
Is New Year’s Day one of the UK bank holidays 2028?
January 1, 2028 is a Saturday, so the bank holiday is the substitute day on Monday, January 3, 2028.
When is Easter Monday 2028?
Monday, April 17, 2028, the day after Easter Sunday on April 16. Easter Monday is not a bank holiday in Scotland.
When is Good Friday 2028?
Friday, April 14, 2028. It is a bank holiday in all four UK nations.
When are the 2028 bank holidays in May in England?
The early May bank holiday is Monday, May 1 and the spring bank holiday is Monday, May 29.
When is the August bank holiday in 2028?
Monday, August 28 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Monday, August 7 in Scotland.
Are Christmas Day and Boxing Day UK bank holidays 2028?
Yes. Christmas Day is Monday, December 25 and Boxing Day is Tuesday, December 26.
Is the bank holidays 2028 UK calendar free to print?
Yes. Every calendar on this page is free to print, with no sign-up.
More holiday calendars
- US Federal Holidays 2028
- Canada Statutory Holidays 2028
- Australia Public Holidays 2028
- Ireland Public Holidays 2028
- India Holidays 2028
- UAE Public Holidays 2028
- Jewish Holidays 2028
- Islamic Holidays 2028
- Hindu Festivals 2028
- Chinese Festivals 2028
- Christian Holidays 2028
- UK Bank Holidays 2027 (the same list for last year)
- 2028 calendar and all holiday calendars