Full list of all the 2025 Bank Holidays, and how to turn 25 days of annual leave into 55 days off

If you want to plan ahead and make the most of your long weekends next year, here are the official dates of bank holidays in 2025.

There are a total of eight bank holidays each year in England and Wales, with some exceptions for special circumstances. Scotland has nine, and Northern Ireland has ten. In 2022, the UK had two extra bank holidays, one on 3 June 2022 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, and another on 19 September for the Queen’s funeral.

There is only one country in the world which celebrates fewer bank holidays than England, Mexico only has seven official public holidays. Across the world, India is the nation that has the most, with a whopping 21 days that are marked as official national holidays.

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.

By law, every UK full-time worker is entitled to paid annual leave to use throughout the year but the number of days varies. The legal minimum for people who work a 5-day week is 28 days.

If you use your annual leave carefully by booking days off around bank holidays, you can score yourself a record number of days off.

Wednesday 1 January - New Year’s Day

Friday 18 April - Good Friday

Monday 21 April - Easter Monday

Monday 5 May - Early May bank holiday

Monday 26 May - Spring bank holiday

Monday 25 August - Summer bank holiday

Thursday 25 December - Christmas Day

Friday 26 December - Boxing Day

Book off the following 25 days to make the most of your bank holidays.

Other dates to consider taking off, if you have more than 25 days’ leave, or