The two May bank holidays in 2026
May is the only calendar month with two UK bank holidays, making it the most travelled month after August. In 2026, both fall on Mondays — giving you two guaranteed three-day weekends with just three weeks between them.
| Bank Holiday | Date 2026 | Day | Nations | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early May Bank Holiday | 4 May 2026 | Monday | UK-wide | Introduced 1978 (Labour Day origin) |
| Spring Bank Holiday | 25 May 2026 | Monday | UK-wide | Whitsun (since 1971 always last Monday of May) |
The Early May Bank Holiday is sometimes called "May Day" and was introduced by the Labour government in 1978 to mark International Workers' Day (1 May). Since the 1971 Act, the Spring Bank Holiday has always been the last Monday of May (replacing the moveable Whit Monday based on Easter).
Long weekend planning — 4 May 2026
The Early May bank holiday creates a 3-day weekend (Sat 2 May – Mon 4 May 2026). With strategic annual leave, you can extend it dramatically:
- 4 days off, 9-day break — book Tue 28 Apr to Fri 1 May → Sat 25 Apr to Mon 4 May (10 days)
- 1 day off, 4-day break — book Friday 1 May → Fri 1 May to Mon 4 May (4 days)
- 2 days off, 5-day break — book Thu-Fri 30 Apr-1 May → Thu 30 Apr to Mon 4 May (5 days)
Long weekend planning — 25 May 2026 (Whitsun)
The Spring Bank Holiday aligns with English schools' Whit half-term week (typically the week beginning 25 May 2026). Bookable break extensions:
- 4 days off, 9-day break — Tue 26 May to Fri 29 May → Sat 23 May to Sun 31 May
- 3 days off, 7-day break — book Fri 29 May, Mon 1 Jun, Tue 2 Jun → Sat 23 May to Tue 2 Jun (11 days)
- Combined "May super-break" — taking 9 working days off (Tue 5 May to Fri 22 May, then Tue 26 May onwards) gives you 24+ days continuous break with only 9 days of leave used
School holidays — May 2026 (England)
Most English local authorities align Whit half-term to the Spring Bank Holiday week:
| Region | Half-term dates 2026 (typical) | School-free days |
|---|---|---|
| Most LAs (England) | Mon 25 May – Fri 29 May | 5 + BH |
| Some London boroughs | Mon 25 May – Fri 29 May | 5 + BH |
| Wales | Mon 25 May – Fri 29 May | 5 + BH |
| Scotland | Varies — many LAs Mon 18 – Fri 22 May (different to England) | 5 |
| Northern Ireland | No statutory mid-term (some schools Mon 25 May only) | 1-3 |
Always confirm with your individual school — academies and free schools set their own term dates and may differ from the LA pattern.
Travel and traffic — May 2026 forecast
The RAC and Department for Transport forecast May 2026 traffic based on 2024-2025 patterns:
- Friday 1 May 2026 — getaway peak, 17.4 million leisure trips estimated; M25, M5 (Bristol → SW), M6 (north → Lake District) congested 2 PM – 7 PM
- Friday 22 May 2026 — biggest pre-Spring BH getaway; combined Whitsun + half-term traffic; expect M5, A303, M40, M6 delays from 11 AM Friday
- Sunday 31 May 2026 — return peak; avoid 3 PM – 8 PM on M5, M6, M40, A1(M)
- Eurotunnel/Dover — heavy bookings 22 May & 29 May; book ferry slots 6 weeks ahead
Pay rights — working May bank holidays 2026
Both 4 May and 25 May 2026 are full bank holidays in EW/SC/NI. Working them:
- No statutory premium — unless your contract specifies time-and-a-half, double-time or TOIL
- Common in retail/hospitality — many contracts pay 1.5× on May BHs
- NHS Agenda for Change — time-and-a-half + day off in lieu
- Salaried office workers — usually take both Mondays as part of 28-day allowance
Use the Bank Holiday Pay Calculator to work out exact figures.
Why are there two May bank holidays?
The "Early May" bank holiday was added in 1978 by the Callaghan Labour government as the UK's official Labour Day, aligning with International Workers' Day (1 May) which has been a public holiday across most of Europe since 1889. The Conservative government considered scrapping it in 2011 to move it to October as "UK Day" but the proposal was abandoned.
The "Spring" (Whitsun) bank holiday is far older — Whit Monday was a Christian church festival (50 days after Easter, marking Pentecost) and a statutory bank holiday from 1871 under the Bank Holidays Act. The Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 fixed it permanently to the last Monday of May, removing the link to the moving Easter date. The 2022 Platinum Jubilee bank holiday and the 2023 King's Coronation bank holiday were one-offs that didn't change the Spring date.
Major events and what's open — May 2026
Early May Bank Holiday weekend (1-4 May 2026)
- FA Cup Final — Wembley, late May (TBC)
- Brighton Festival — 2-24 May 2026 (annual)
- Spalding Flower Parade — Saturday 2 May 2026 (Lincolnshire, traditional)
- Banks closed — Mon 4 May 2026; ATMs operational; online banking unaffected; cheque clearing paused
- Stock exchange — LSE closed Mon 4 May 2026
- Postal service — no Royal Mail delivery Mon 4 May 2026
Spring Bank Holiday weekend (23-25 May 2026)
- Chelsea Flower Show — Tuesday 19 May to Saturday 23 May 2026 (RHS)
- Hay Festival — Thursday 21 May to Sunday 31 May 2026 (Wales literature festival)
- Premier League final day — Sunday 24 May 2026 (last fixture)
- Banks closed — Mon 25 May 2026
- Stock exchange — LSE closed Mon 25 May 2026
- Postal service — no Royal Mail delivery Mon 25 May 2026
2026 vs other years — May bank holiday history
| Year | Early May Date | Spring BH Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mon 6 May | Mon 27 May | Standard |
| 2025 | Mon 5 May | Mon 26 May | Standard |
| 2026 | Mon 4 May | Mon 25 May | 21-day gap, both Mondays |
| 2027 | Mon 3 May | Mon 31 May | 28-day gap (longest possible) |
| 2028 | Mon 1 May | Mon 29 May | Earliest possible Early May |
| 2023 | Mon 1 May + Mon 8 May (King's Coronation) | Mon 29 May | 3 May BHs (one-off) |
| 2022 | Mon 2 May | Thu 2 Jun + Fri 3 Jun (Platinum Jubilee, Spring BH moved) | Spring BH shifted |
Frequently asked questions
How many bank holidays are there in May 2026?
When is the May Day bank holiday 2026?
When is the Whitsun bank holiday 2026?
How many days between the two May bank holidays in 2026?
Are May bank holidays observed in Scotland?
Will my bank be open on May 4 or May 25 2026?
Are the May bank holidays moving in 2026?
Do schools have a half-term in May 2026?
Will I get extra pay working a May bank holiday in 2026?
What's the longest break I can get in May 2026 with the fewest leave days?
Official UK Sources
- GOV.UK — UK bank holidays 2026
- GOV.UK — School term and holiday dates
- ACAS — Bank holidays guidance
- Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971
- GOV.UK — Holiday entitlement rights
Last reviewed: May 2026 against gov.uk official 2026 calendar and ACAS guidance.