Nothing soothes the soul quite like looking at a list of all the days you’re guaranteed to have off from work in a year.
Bank holidays take their name from the fact that banks, government offices and most businesses are closed on these days.
There are eight bank holidays in England and Wales, nine in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.
Knowing when they are in advance can be useful for holidaymakers who may want to plan their trips abroad around the same time so as to get some extra days off that won’t be include in annual leave.
So, wherever you are in the UK, here are some of the dates you’ve got to look forward to for the year ahead.
2019 Bank and Public Holidays:
- New Year’s Day: Tuesday 1 January
- New Year’s Holiday: Wednesday 2 January (Scotland only)
- St Patrick’s Day: Monday 18 March (Northern Ireland only)
- Good Friday: Friday 19 April
- Easter Monday: Monday 22 April (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
- Early May bank holiday: Monday 6 May
- Spring bank holiday: Monday 27 May
- Battle of the Boyne: Friday 12 July (Northern Ireland only)
- Summer bank holiday: Monday 5 August (Scotland only)
- Summer bank holiday: Monday 26 August (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only)
- St Andrew’s Day: Monday 2 December (Scotland only)
- Christmas Day: Wednesday 25 December
- Boxing Day: Thursday 26 December
And although they’re not days off, here are some other key dates to remember for 2019:
- Valentine’s Day: Thursday 14 February
- St David’s Day: Friday 1 March
- St Patrick’s Day: Sunday 17 March
- Mothering Sunday: Sunday 31 March
- St George’s Day: Tuesday 23 April
- Father’s Day: Sunday 16 June
- Halloween: Thursday 31 October
- Bonfire Night: Tuesday 5 November
- St Andrew’s Day: Saturday 30 November
Now, go forth and plan your holidays accordingly.
