As the year draws to a close, many of us are already dreaming of our next great escape. And what better way to stretch your holiday budget than by tapping into the UK’s generous roster of bank holidays?
2023 was a particularly generous year for national celebrations, with the King’s coronation giving all UK workers an extra day off. Next year, employees will have to be cannier, as a lean bank holiday schedule offers only eight public holidays to savour throughout the year.
Below, we’ll list the full calendar of bank holidays in 2024, and explain how you can hack your holiday by taking a smart approach to annual leave planning.
Bank holidays for 2024
Each country within the UK has slightly different rules when it comes to public holidays. Workers in England and Wales are permitted eight national days off, while Northern Irish employees get 10.
Here’s what that will look like in next year’s business calendar, as well as details on the longest leave programme available for each UK region:
England and Wales
- Monday 1 January – New Year’s Day
- Friday 29 March – Good Friday
- Monday 1 April – Easter Monday
- Monday 6 May – Early May bank holiday
- Monday 27 May – Spring bank holiday
- Monday 26 August – Summer bank holiday
- Wednesday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Thursday 26 December – Boxing Day
Scotland
- Monday 1 January – New Year’s Day
- Tuesday 2 January
- Friday 29 March – Good Friday
- Monday 6 May – Early May bank holiday
- Monday 27 May – Spring bank holiday
- Monday 5 August – Summer bank holiday
- Monday 2 December – St. Andrew’s Day
- Wednesday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Thursday 26 December – Boxing Day
Northern Ireland
- Monday 1 January – New Year’s Day
- Monday 18 March – St. Patrick’s Day
- Friday 29 March – Good Friday
- Monday 1 April – Easter Monday
- Monday 6 May – Early May bank holiday
- Monday 27 May – Spring bank holiday
- Friday 12 July – Battle of the Boyne
- Monday 26 August – Summer bank holiday
- Wednesday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Thursday 26 December – Boxing Day
Christmas and Easter holidays for 2024
Easter and Christmas are both well-positioned within the year for employees to optimise their annual leave entitlement, as two popular holiday periods with many bank holidays attached.
As always, by taking off four days on either side of Easter Monday and Good Friday, workers can turn a total of eight days’ leave into 16 days away from the office.
Two bank holidays clustered together for Christmas 2024 is another opportunity for staff to enjoy their time in the sun. With Christmas Day and Boxing Day falling on a Wednesday and Thursday, workers should take three days of annual leave to have a full nine days off work.
New Year’s Day is a different story, however. In 2024, the bank holiday falls on a Tuesday, meaning employees will have to cope with just one day off work to cope with their holiday hangover (figuratively and literally).
What about flexible bank holidays?
It might surprise you to learn that there is no statutory right to paid time off on bank holidays. That said, most employers who aren’t in the service industry will still observe these days as public holidays and deduct them from the statutory holiday allowance.
Awareness is growing as to how the practice may impact workplace inclusion, however – particularly for those who observe specific religious or cultural dates that conflict with the UK’s Christian-centred holiday dates.
To address these concerns, flexible bank holiday policies, also known as “pick and mix” holidays, are gaining traction amongst progressive UK businesses.
The policy allows employees to exchange a fixed number of bank holidays for alternative dates that align better with their personal commitments or cultural practices.
This flexibility not only empowers employees to plan their holidays around their unique circumstances but also fosters a more inclusive work environment that respects diversity in the workplace.
Holidays aren’t the only way to a worker’s heart. Find out more about the top employee benefits and perks you can offer staff in 2024.
