Bank holidays 2025

When?
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Everyone loves a bank holiday. These glorious free days off should be firm fixtures in everyone’s calendar. They can make a city break last a little longer or mean a two week holiday only requires eight days off rather than ten. So knowing when bank holidays are coming up, and planning your time off accordingly, are great ways of maximising your holiday allowances every year.

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Bank holiday dates for 2025

Wednesday 1st January 2025: New Year’s Day

Friday 18th April 2025: Good Friday

Monday 21st April 2025: Easter Monday

Monday 5th May 2025: Early May Bank Holiday

Monday 26th May 2025: Late May Bank Holiday

Monday 14th July 2025: Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland only)

Monday 25th August 2025: Summer Bank Holiday

Thursday 25th December 2025: Christmas Day

Friday 26th December 2025: Boxing Day 

How to book around a Bank Holiday

You can make your time off go even further next year with some handy holiday hacks. By planning your annual leave around the bank holidays, meaning you’ll have plenty of time for all those trips you want to take, whether they’re long weekends away, or exciting long haul adventures.

Here’s how to maximise your bank holiday weekends in 2025

The year starts with an opportunity for an extended break around Good Friday (18th April) and Easter Monday (21st April), falling on a Friday and Monday respectively. By taking four days off from the 22nd to the 25th of April, you can enjoy a 10-day holiday.

Moving into May, the Early May Bank Holiday on Monday, 5th May, can serve as a springboard for a long weekend escape. Taking the preceding Friday off could extend your break, making room for a four-day mini-vacation.

The Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 26th May, is another cornerstone for holiday planning. Positioning right at the end of May. By booking off the 27th to the 30st, you’ll have a nine-day holiday stretch, using only four days of leave.

The Summer Bank Holiday on Monday, 25th August (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with Scotland celebrating on Monday, 4th August), signals the peak of summer. Extending this weekend by taking additional days off can amplify the summer’s last hurrah into a full-blown holiday experience.

Christmas Day on Thursday, 25th December, and Boxing Day on Friday, 26th December, offer a splendid backdrop for a festive holiday escape. With these two bank holidays falling before the weekend, you can extend your Christmas break by taking leave from the 22rd - 24th, turning a standard long weekend into a 9-day festive retreat. This period is ideal for those looking to experience Christmas markets in Europe, winter sun in more exotic locations, or simply enjoy a festive staycation wrapped in the warmth of seasonal joy.

Combining these Christmas holidays with New Year's Day, which welcomes 2026 on a Thursday, further extends the possibility of a prolonged holiday period.

Please note that these dates are subject to change. It's always a good idea to double-check the dates to confirm that you have the correct information.

Here’s what you need to know about bank holiday weekends in the UK

We’ve been enjoying UK bank holidays for nearly 150 years now. They were introduced by the Bank Holidays Act of 1871 - but at that time there was only four days - as Good Friday (Easter) and Christmas had always been considered as days when the country took time out.

Due to cultural differences Scotland and Northern Ireland have slightly different days off. As Hogmanay (New Years) was traditionally a bigger deal than Christmas in Scotland, they get a New Year’s Holiday day off on the 2nd of January. They also have an early August Bank Holiday (first Monday in August) but don’t get the late August Bank Holiday off. If you’re booking your trip from Scotland, don’t forget St Andrew’s Day - which is the 30th of November but usually taken as the nearest Monday to that.

In Northern Ireland you also get St Patrick’s Day off in March, on March 17. As well as the Battle of the Boyne Day on July 12.

Where to go for the UK Bank Holidays in 2025

Now you have all the dates, the next question surely must be where’s the best places to go? We’ve pulled together our favourite Easter Bank Holiday destinations for you to consider. Looking for somewhere to visit over the May Bank Holiday? - these deals should give you something to think about for when the weather is warmer. The August Bank Holiday is a great way to finish off the summer.

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