England and Wales have eight bank holidays in 2028, Scotland has nine and Northern Ireland has ten. New Year’s Day 2028 is a Saturday, so the substitute is Monday 3 January; Scotland also gets Tuesday 4 January for 2 January. Christmas 2028 falls on a Monday, with Boxing Day on Tuesday, so no substitutes are needed. In 2027, England and Wales also have eight, Scotland nine and Northern Ireland ten. The 2028 dates below are now published on GOV.UK’s bank holidays page. Check that list again before booking.
How many bank holidays are there in 2027 and 2028?
| Nation | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 8 | 8 |
| Scotland | 9 | 9 |
| Northern Ireland | 10 | 10 |
England and Wales share one list. Scotland adds 2 January and St Andrew’s Day, has no Easter Monday, and holds its summer bank holiday on the first Monday in August rather than the last. Northern Ireland adds St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day).
UK bank holidays 2028
| Date | Bank holiday | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 3 January 2028 | New Year’s Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tue 4 January 2028 | 2nd January (substitute day) | – | Yes | – |
| Fri 17 March 2028 | St Patrick’s Day | – | – | Yes |
| Fri 14 April 2028 | Good Friday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 17 April 2028 | Easter Monday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Mon 1 May 2028 | Early May bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 29 May 2028 | Spring bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wed 12 July 2028 | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) | – | – | Yes |
| Mon 7 August 2028 | Summer bank holiday | – | Yes | – |
| Mon 28 August 2028 | Summer bank holiday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Thu 30 November 2028 | St Andrew’s Day | – | Yes | – |
| Mon 25 December 2028 | Christmas Day | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tue 26 December 2028 | Boxing Day | Yes | Yes | Yes |
New Year’s Day 2028 is Saturday 1 January, so Monday 3 January is the substitute; Scotland’s 2 January is a Sunday, giving Tuesday 4 January as well. St Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday in 2028, giving Northern Ireland a three-day weekend. The Battle of the Boyne is a Wednesday, sitting midweek. Christmas Day 2028 is a Monday and Boxing Day a Tuesday, so the Christmas break runs neatly from the preceding weekend with no substitutes needed. New Year’s Day 2029 is a Monday, so the next bank holiday after Boxing Day is seven days later.
Bank holidays 2027, including Northern Ireland and Scotland
| Date | Bank holiday | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 1 January 2027 | New Year’s Day | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 4 January 2027 | 2nd January (substitute day) | – | Yes | – |
| Wed 17 March 2027 | St Patrick’s Day | – | – | Yes |
| Fri 26 March 2027 | Good Friday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 29 March 2027 | Easter Monday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Mon 3 May 2027 | Early May bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 31 May 2027 | Spring bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mon 12 July 2027 | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) | – | – | Yes |
| Mon 2 August 2027 | Summer bank holiday | – | Yes | – |
| Mon 30 August 2027 | Summer bank holiday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Tue 30 November 2027 | St Andrew’s Day | – | Yes | – |
| Mon 27 December 2027 | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tue 28 December 2027 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Christmas Day 2027 is a Saturday and Boxing Day a Sunday, so the bank holidays move to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. Our full 2027 bank holidays guide covers every date with the 2026 figures alongside it.
These break lengths assume a Monday-to-Friday working week with the relevant bank holidays off. Time off depends on each guest’s employment arrangements; GOV.UK explains bank holiday leave. Check shifts and approved leave before choosing a house.
The long weekends to plan a group trip around in 2028
- New Year: Saturday 1 to Monday 3 January. Scotland gets Tuesday 4 January as well, making it a four-day break. The first working day of 2028 is Wednesday 5 January in Scotland and Tuesday 4 January everywhere else.
- St Patrick’s Day: Friday 17 to Sunday 19 March in Northern Ireland. A three-day weekend with no leave needed.
- Easter: Friday 14 to Monday 17 April. Four days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; three in Scotland, where Easter Monday is not a bank holiday. Book four days’ leave after Easter Monday and you get ten days off, from Good Friday to Sunday 23 April. See when is Easter 2028 for school holiday dates and booking advice.
- Early May: Saturday 29 April to Monday 1 May, in every nation, and in term time for schools. One of the quieter bank holidays for group houses.
- Spring bank holiday: Saturday 27 to Monday 29 May. May half term typically starts on the bank holiday Monday and runs to Friday 2 June, so expect families from Monday onwards.
- Battle of the Boyne: Wednesday 12 July in Northern Ireland. Midweek, so a day off rather than a long weekend unless people book leave either side.
- Scotland summer: Saturday 5 to Monday 7 August, the Scottish summer bank holiday.
- August bank holiday: Saturday 26 to Monday 28 August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the last long weekend of the school summer holidays in England.
- St Andrew’s Day: Thursday 30 November in Scotland. Take Friday 1 December off for a four-day weekend.
- Christmas: Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 December. Christmas Day is a Monday and Boxing Day a Tuesday. A Saturday-to-Tuesday break fits those holidays for people who normally have weekends and these bank holidays off. Book Wednesday 27 to Friday 29 December as leave and you are off until New Year’s Day, Monday 1 January 2029: ten days for three days’ leave, assuming weekends and the listed bank holidays are non-working days. Our Twixmas guide covers booking a house for the days between Christmas and New Year, and Christmas group houses and New Year houses list what is available.
Making the 2028 calendar work for your group
The useful choices in 2028 are not all Friday-to-Monday breaks. Northern Ireland has a Friday holiday in March and a Wednesday holiday in July; Scotland’s November holiday is a Thursday. We’d ask each guest which dates they can actually take off before putting a deposit on a house.
- A March alternative in Northern Ireland. St Patrick’s Day is Friday 17 March. For guests whose work calendar includes it, 17 to 19 March offers a shorter break before Easter. Ask the owner about arrival times if other guests need to travel after work on Friday.
- Keep Easter and early May separate. Easter runs from 14 to 17 April in nations observing Easter Monday; the early May weekend begins on Saturday 29 April. School return dates can fall between them. Use the Easter 2028 school-calendar examples before extending an April stay.
- Midweek holidays need a different plan. Wednesday 12 July in Northern Ireland does not create a long weekend by itself. Scotland’s Thursday 30 November can join the weekend only if guests can also take Friday off. Compare the required leave with the house’s minimum nights.
- Christmas is Monday and Tuesday. A Saturday 23 to Tuesday 26 December stay fits the weekend and two bank holidays for eligible workers. A Friday daytime arrival may still need leave. For a longer stay, ask whether the owner allows one booking across Christmas and New Year.
Send an enquiry for exact 2028 dates through our property listings. Ask whether the calendar is open, whether the price is confirmed and how long any offer remains valid. Agree a payment schedule only after the owner replies; the group drop-out guide helps you set expectations before friends contribute.
Choose facilities around the actual stay: games rooms can give different generations something to do indoors, while hot tub listings need a check of access and usage rules. For a flexible trip, compare the neighbouring weekend through our weekend collection, rather than assuming the bank holiday is essential.
Where these dates come from
The 2027 and 2028 tables were checked against GOV.UK on 1 November 2026. One-off holidays can be added. Recheck the official calendar and your employer’s arrangements before paying for a stay.
