After the long Easter weekend – and the glorious weather it brought – many Brits begrudgingly returned to work wondering when they’ll be due their next break.
And if you’re already straining under the pressure of a five day week, we have some good news – the May bank holiday is just around the corner.
In the UK we have a total of eight bank holidays throughout the year in England and Wales, while there are nine in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.
So if you feel like some more days off, or are wondering when to book a weekend getaway for, here is the full list of bank and public holidays in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What is a Bank Holiday?
National holidays in the UK have been referred to as “bank” holidays since the late 19th century, because traditionally on these days banks would close their doors for trading.
Nowadays most of the working population will be granted the day off and many banks and government offices remain closed. A number of shops still operate as usual on bank holidays, albeit often with reduced trading hours.
2019 Bank and Public Holidays in the UK
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Early May bank holiday: Monday 6 May
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Spring bank holiday: Monday 27 May
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Battle of the Boyne: Friday 12 July (Northern Ireland only)
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Summer Bank Holiday: Monday 5 August (Scotland only)
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Summer Bank Holiday: Monday 26 August (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
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St Andrew’s Day: Monday 2 December (Scotland only)
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Christmas Day: Wednesday 25 December
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Boxing Day: Thursday 26 December
