A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies. The term refers to all public holidays in the United Kingdom be they set out in statute, declared by royal proclamation or held by convention under common law.[1][2] The term is also colloquially used to refer to public holidays in the Republic of Ireland.
The term "bank holiday" refers to the fact that banking institutions typically close for business on such holidays.
List of current holidays
| Date | Name | England and Wales[3] (8) | Scotland[3] (9) | Northern Ireland[4](10) | Republic of Ireland[5] (9) | Isle of Man[6] (10) | Jersey and Guernsey (9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January[1] | New Year's Day |  | | | | | |
| 2 January[1] | 2 January | | |||||
| 17 March[1] | Saint Patrick's Day | | | ||||
| The Friday before Easter Sunday | Good Friday | | | | | | |
| The Monday after Easter Sunday | Easter Monday | | | | | | |
| First Monday in May[2][3] | Early May Bank Holiday | | | | | | |
| 9 May | Liberation Day | | |||||
| Last Monday in May[4][5][6] | Spring Bank Holiday / Late May Bank Holiday | | | | | | |
| First Monday in June | June Bank Holiday | | |||||
| First Friday in June | Senior Race Day | | |||||
| 5 July | Tynwald Day | | |||||
| 12 July[1] | The Twelfth (Battle of the Boyne) | | |||||
| First Monday in August | Summer Bank Holiday | | | ||||
| Last Monday in August | Late Summer Bank Holiday / August Bank Holiday | | | | | ||
| Last Monday in October | October Bank Holiday | | |||||
| 30 November[1] | St Andrew's Day | | |||||
| 25 December[1] | Christmas Day | | | | | | |
| 26 December[1] | Boxing Day / St Stephen's Day | | | | | | |
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g When the stated date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is normally designated a bank holiday instead. When Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on a Saturday (and thus 26 December and 2 January on a Sunday), the following Tuesday 28 December (and Tuesday 4 January in Scotland) are also bank holidays.
- ^ In 1995 this holiday was moved to Monday 8 May and in 2020 to Friday 8 May – to commemorate the 50th and 75th anniversary of VE Day.
- ^ In 2011 an additional public holiday was declared to ensure that most people would have a chance to celebrate the Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, making a four-day weekend as May day was on the following Monday.
"Royal Wedding: Prince William and Kate set date". BBC. 23 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2010. - ^ In 2002 this holiday was moved to Tuesday 4 June. This caused it to follow an extra bank holiday on 3 June, making a four-day weekend to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
- ^ In 2012 this holiday was moved to Monday 4 June. It was then followed by an extra holiday on 5 June, making a four-day weekend to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
- ^ In 2022 this holiday will be moved to Thursday 2 June. It will then followed by an extra holiday on 3 June, making a four-day weekend to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
See also
References
- ^ Pyer, Doug (18 December 2015). "Briefing paper - Bank and public holidays" (PDF). House of Commons Library.
- ^ "UK bank holidays – GOV.UK". gov.uk. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
- ^ a b Bank holidays and British Summer Time, Directgov, 8 February 2012, retrieved 15 April 2012
- ^ Bank holidays, NIDirect, 6 April 2012, retrieved 15 April 2012
- ^ Public holidays, Citizens Information Board, 20 January 2020
- ^ "Bank Holidays". Government of the Isle of Man. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
External links
- UK bank holidays
- Scotland Bank Holidays - Scottish Government
- Text of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Public holidays (Ireland)