Reviewed by Mustafa Bilgic · UK Calculator Editor ·
The 8 Wales bank holidays in 2026
Wales has 8 statutory bank holidays in 2026 — identical to England. England and Wales share one bank holiday calendar under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. The big question Welsh searchers ask is not about dates but about St David's Day (covered below).
| Date 2026 | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Statutory |
| 3 Apr 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Common-law (Royal Proclamation) |
| 6 Apr 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Statutory |
| 4 May 2026 | Monday | Early May Bank Holiday | Statutory (since 1978) |
| 25 May 2026 | Monday | Spring Bank Holiday | Statutory |
| 31 Aug 2026 | Monday | Summer Bank Holiday | Statutory (last Monday) |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Common-law |
| 28 Dec 2026 | Monday | Boxing Day (substitute) | 26 Dec is a Saturday → moved |
Wales has the same 8 bank holidays as England — there is no separate Welsh-only statutory bank holiday in 2026.
St David's Day 2026 — why it isn't a bank holiday
St David's Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi) on 1 March celebrates the patron saint of Wales. Despite being the most important date in the Welsh national calendar, it is not a statutory bank holiday. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday.
- Repeated campaigns — the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) has voted in favour of making St David's Day a bank holiday, and petitions regularly gather large support.
- Reserved power — creating bank holidays is reserved to the UK Government under the 1971 Act, so Wales cannot enact it unilaterally. Successive UK governments have declined.
- What happens on the day — schools hold eisteddfodau and many wear daffodils or leeks, but workplaces, banks and shops operate normally (it is a working day, except when it falls at a weekend).
Pay rights — working a bank holiday in Wales 2026
Wales shares the UK-wide employment-law framework (Working Time Regulations 1998, Employment Rights Act 1996):
- No statutory premium — no legal right to time-and-a-half or double-time for working a bank holiday; it depends entirely on your contract.
- 5.6 weeks total leave — statutory 28 days for full-timers; the 8 BHs can be counted inside this.
- Pro-rata for part-time — (days worked ÷ 5) × 8 bank-holiday days.
Calculate exact figures with the Bank Holiday Pay Calculator 2026 or the Holiday Entitlement Calculator.
Long-weekend planner — Wales 2026
| Period | Annual leave days | Total break |
|---|---|---|
| Easter (Apr) | 4 (Tue–Fri 7–10 Apr) | 10 days (Fri 3 Apr – Sun 12 Apr) |
| Early May | 4 (Tue–Fri 28 Apr–1 May) | 9 days (Sat 25 Apr – Mon 4 May) |
| Spring BH (May) | 4 (Tue–Fri 26–29 May) | 9 days (Sat 23 May – Sun 31 May) |
| Summer BH (Aug) | 4 (Tue–Fri 25–28 Aug) | 9 days (Sat 22 Aug – Sun 30 Aug) |
| Christmas 2026 | 3 (Tue–Thu 29–31 Dec) | 11 days (Thu 24 Dec – Sun 3 Jan 2027) |
Welsh school holidays 2026
Welsh state schools follow local-authority term dates, which are broadly similar to England's but set independently — and Wales has been reforming its school year. Typical 2026 windows:
- Spring half-term — w/c Mon 16 Feb 2026 (LA-dependent)
- Easter break — early–mid April 2026 (covers Good Friday + Easter Monday)
- Whitsun half-term — w/c Mon 25 May 2026
- Summer holidays — from late July 2026
- Autumn half-term — w/c Mon 26 Oct 2026
- Christmas break — from mid–late December 2026
Always confirm exact dates with your local authority (e.g. Cardiff, Swansea, Gwynedd) as they vary.
Wales bank holidays vs the rest of the UK — 2026
| Holiday | Wales | England | Scotland | NI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | ✓ Thu 1 Jan | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2nd January | — | — | ✓ Fri 2 Jan | — |
| St David's Day (1 Mar) | ✗ not a BH | — | — | — |
| Good Friday | ✓ Fri 3 Apr | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Easter Monday | ✓ Mon 6 Apr | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Early May BH | ✓ Mon 4 May | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spring BH | ✓ Mon 25 May | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Summer BH | ✓ Mon 31 Aug | ✓ 31 Aug | ✓ 3 Aug | ✓ 31 Aug |
| Christmas Day | ✓ Fri 25 Dec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boxing Day (sub.) | ✓ Mon 28 Dec | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Total 2026 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in Wales in 2026?
Wales has 8 bank holidays in 2026, identical to England: New Year's Day (1 Jan), Good Friday (3 Apr), Easter Monday (6 Apr), Early May (4 May), Spring (25 May), Summer (31 Aug), Christmas Day (25 Dec) and Boxing Day substitute (28 Dec).
Is St David's Day a bank holiday in Wales?
No. St David's Day (1 March) is the Welsh national day and is widely celebrated, but it is NOT a statutory bank holiday. There have been repeated campaigns and Senedd votes calling for it to be made one, but the power to create bank holidays is reserved to the UK Government, which has not granted it. In 2026 St David's Day falls on a Sunday.
Are bank holidays the same in Wales and England?
Yes — Wales and England share an identical bank holiday calendar. Both have the same 8 dates in 2026. The difference people search for is cultural (St David's Day) rather than statutory.
When is the next bank holiday in Wales 2026?
As of late May 2026 the next bank holiday is the Spring Bank Holiday on Monday 25 May 2026, followed by the Summer Bank Holiday on Monday 31 August 2026.
Do I get extra pay for working a bank holiday in Wales?
Only if your employment contract specifies enhanced pay. There is no UK statutory right to a bank holiday premium — Wales follows the same Employment Rights Act 1996 framework as England. Use our Bank Holiday Pay Calculator for exact figures.
Why is Boxing Day on 28 December 2026 in Wales?
Because Boxing Day (26 December) falls on a Saturday in 2026, the bank holiday moves to the next weekday — Monday 28 December 2026 — by Royal Proclamation. This applies across England and Wales.
Are bank holidays included in my 28 days annual leave in Wales?
Yes — employers can lawfully include the 8 bank holidays within the statutory 5.6-week (28-day) leave. 'Including bank holidays' = 20 free days + 8 BHs; 'plus bank holidays' = 36 days. Check your contract.
Do Welsh schools follow the same term dates as England?
Broadly similar but not identical — Welsh local authorities set their own term and half-term dates, and from September 2025 Wales has been reforming the school year. Always confirm with your local authority or school.
Official UK Sources
- GOV.UK — UK bank holidays 2026 (England and Wales)
- GOV.WALES — Welsh Government
- GOV.UK — Holiday entitlement and rights
- ACAS — Bank holidays guidance
Last reviewed: May 2026 against gov.uk official 2026 calendar.