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Planning annual leave around UK bank holidays in 2026
See the best 2026 annual leave combinations, including a practical Christmas and New Year plan for the remaining months of the year, and check the entitlement rules before booking.
Updated October 2026 for Christmas and New Year leave planning
Bank holidays are the cheapest days off you will ever get, but only if your leave sits next to them. These suggestions assume a Monday-to-Friday pattern and the England, Wales and Northern Ireland calendar unless noted.
Best-value leave bookings in 2026
The table below covers the full 2026 year for reference. Easter, May and summer dates have already passed as of October 2026; for upcoming time off, see the Christmas planning section immediately below.
| Book these days | Leave used | Total time off |
|---|---|---|
| Easter: 7–10 April | 4 days booked | 10 days off, 3–12 April, with Good Friday and Easter Monday |
| Early May: 5–8 May | 4 days booked | 9 days off, 2–10 May, around the Monday 4 May holiday |
| Spring: 26–29 May | 4 days booked | 9 days off, 23–31 May, ideal for the half term |
| Summer: 1–4 September | 4 days booked | 9 days off, 29 August–6 September (England, Wales, NI) |
| Christmas: 21–24 and 29–31 December | 7 days booked | 16 consecutive days off, 19 December 2026–3 January 2027 (assuming 25 and 28 December and 1 January are non-working bank holidays) |
Remaining 2026 opportunity: Christmas and New Year
For a typical Monday-to-Friday employee in England and Wales, Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December 2026 and Boxing Day is observed on Monday 28 December. New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027. If your employer gives these bank holidays off, you can use seven annual leave days to create a 16-day continuous break from Saturday 19 December 2026 through Sunday 3 January 2027.
Exactly which seven days should you book?
- Book Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December (four annual leave days).
- Take Friday 25 December (Christmas Day) and Monday 28 December (Boxing Day substitute) as bank holidays, with the weekend in between.
- Book Tuesday 29 to Thursday 31 December (three more annual leave days).
- Friday 1 January 2027 is New Year’s Day; Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 January complete the break.
Worked example: 4 leave days + 3 leave days = 7 booked days. Combined with six weekend days and three bank holidays, that gives 16 consecutive calendar days away from work, from 19 December to 3 January inclusive. This calculation assumes you normally work Monday to Friday and do not need to use annual leave for the three bank holidays.
Shorter Christmas break option
If seven leave days are unavailable, booking 29–31 December (three days) can give you 10 consecutive days off from Friday 25 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, provided you have the same bank holidays off.
Check your contract before booking: bank holidays may count toward your statutory annual leave allowance, and some employers require staff to work them. Scotland and Northern Ireland also have different bank holiday arrangements, so confirm the dates that apply to your workplace.
If you work in Scotland
Swap the late August play for the Monday 3 August summer bank holiday, and remember Easter Monday is a normal working day. St Andrew's Day on Monday 30 November also pairs well with a Friday off for a four-day break.
Entitlement basics before you book
- Statutory paid leave is 5.6 weeks a year, which is 28 days for a full-time five-day week.
- Employers may count bank holidays within that 28 days, or grant them on top — the contract decides.
- Part-time workers should get a pro-rata equivalent so they are not disadvantaged by Monday-heavy holidays.
- Requests can be refused for business reasons, so book competitive periods early.
General information, not employment advice
Annual leave and bank holidays: FAQs
Am I entitled to bank holidays off work in the UK?
There is no automatic right to bank holidays off. Workers get at least 5.6 weeks' paid statutory leave a year, and employers can include bank holidays within that entitlement.
Do I get extra pay for working a bank holiday?
Enhanced pay for bank holiday work is a contractual matter, not a legal requirement. Check your contract, staff handbook or collective agreement.
How do bank holidays work for part-time staff?
Part-time workers should not be treated less favourably. Employers often pro-rata bank holiday entitlement so that staff who never work Mondays are not disadvantaged.
When should I book 2026 leave for the best chance of approval?
Book the Easter, late May and Christmas periods as early as your employer's system allows, since those weeks are the most heavily requested.
Do bank holidays carry over if I am on sick leave or maternity leave?
Statutory leave continues to accrue during those absences. How bank holidays are treated depends on your employer's policy, so ask HR to confirm in writing.