If you're hoping to plan ahead for the long weekends, these are the official dates for every public holiday over the next 12 months.
Surprisingly, the UK used to have a massive 33 official holidays on the calendar - made up mostly of saints days and religious celebrations. But in 1834, it was decided this was too many, and by 1871, the Bank Holidays Act had the number reduced and made into law.
Now, there are a total of eight bank holidays in England and Wales. This is only one other country in the world that has fewer bank holidays than us - Mexico - which has seven official public holidays.
Scotland has nine, while Northern Ireland gets 10 throughout the year.
Across the globe India is the nation that has the most, with a massive 21 days that are marked as official national holidays.
This is when all the bank holidays for England and Wales are during 2021:
- Friday, January 1: New Year's Day
- Friday, April 2: Good Friday
- Monday, April 5: Easter Monday
- Monday, May 3: Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 31: Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 30: Summer Bank Holiday
- Monday, December 27: Christmas Day (substitute day)
- Tuesday, December 28: Boxing Day (substitute day)
2021 bank holidays in Scotland:
- Friday, January 1: New Year's Day
- Monday, January 4: 2nd January (substitute day)
- Friday, April 2: Good Friday
- Monday, April 5: Easter Monday
- Monday, May 3: Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 31: Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 30: Summer Bank Holiday
- Tuesday, November 30: St Andrew's Day
- Monday, December 27: Christmas Day (substitute day)
- Tuesday, December 28: Boxing Day (substitute day)
2021 bank holidays in Northern Ireland:
- Friday, January 1: New Year's Day
- Wednesday, March 17: St Patrick’s Day
- Friday, April 2: Good Friday
- Monday, April 5: Easter Monday
- Monday, May 3: Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 31: Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, July 12: Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
- Monday, August 30: Summer Bank Holiday
- Tuesday, November 30: St Andrew's Day
- Monday, December 27: Christmas Day (substitute day)
- Tuesday, December 28: Boxing Day (substitute day)
