- The UK government confirmed two bank holidays for England and Wales in December 2026
- Christmas Day falls on a Friday, December 25, giving workers a long weekend
- Boxing Day will be observed on Monday, December 28, 2026, as a substitute day
England and Wales will observe two public bank holidays in December 2026, covering Christmas Day and a substitute date for Boxing Day.
Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, making it an official bank holiday across England and Wales. Because Boxing Day lands on a Saturday that year, the substitute bank holiday has been moved to Monday, December 28, 2026, to ensure workers receive a full day off in lieu.
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The arrangement means most employees will benefit from a four-day break across the Christmas weekend, running from Friday, December 25 through to Monday, December 28.
What the dates mean for workers
Bank holidays in England and Wales are designated public holidays during which workers are typically entitled to a day off, though the specifics depend on individual employment contracts.
Employees whose contracts do not explicitly include bank holidays as additional leave may still be required to work, with their entitlement calculated as part of their overall annual leave allowance.
The substitute day provision for Boxing Day applies specifically because the calendar date, December 26, falls on a weekend in 2026. The government designates a weekday replacement in such cases to preserve the benefit of the public holiday for the working population.
There are no other bank holidays scheduled for England and Wales in December 2026 beyond these two dates.
Legal protections around holiday pay in UK
Legit.ng earlier reported that UK workers hold a set of legal protections around holiday pay and leave entitlement that many may not be fully aware of. Under current UK employment law, workers have the right to receive holiday pay covering up to five weeks of annual leave.
Source: Legit.ng
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