As the new year begins, many to know how many bank holidays there are in 2024, so they can start planning their next family trip.
Bank Holidays are a much-loved British tradition that allow us to have a few extra days off, and if you've got kids they're a great opportunity to squeeze in a getaway between work and school. Good Friday and Easter Monday give us a four-day weekend alone and, if you're cunning with your annual leave, you can maximise your time off by using just a handful of holiday days.
So grab your travel strollers and travel cots and start researching the best things to do with kids in your area, because we've revealed all of the bank holidays in 2024 and how you can make the most of them. And for those who like to really plan in advance, keep scrolling to find out when the bank holidays fall next year too.
How many bank holidays are there in 2024 in the UK?
The number of bank holidays in 2024 varies according to the regions in the UK. While England and Wales can enjoy eight bank holidays this year, Scotland sees nine Bank Holidays in 2024 and Northern Ireland has 10.
This is because Scotland has two bank holidays in January, on the 1 and 2 of the month. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has additional bank holidays for St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne.
The full list of bank holidays in the UK 2024
- Monday, 1 January - New Year’s Day
- Tuesday, 2 January - 2nd January (Scotland only)
- Monday, 18 March - St. Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland only)
- 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 (Northern Ireland only)
- Monday, 26 August - Summer bank holiday
- Wednesday, 25 December - Christmas Day
- Thursday, 26 December - Boxing Day
Are there any extra bank holidays in 2024?
Unfortunately for those who want to maximise their time away this year, there are no extra bank holidays in 2024.
2023 saw one extra bank holiday in 2023 to mark King Charles' coronation, but this was a one-off, and won't feature in calendars in future years. This is the same as in the case of the bank holiday granted in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee - though there were calls to make it a new permanent bank holiday in honour of the late Queen.
In 2024, the bank holiday calendar is back to normal, with no extra days off.
How to make the most of the bank holidays in 2024
Many want to know how they can maximise their annual leave in 2024, and there is a way you can get 47 days off by using just 23 days of annual leave, thanks to this year's bank holidays.
When to book annual leave in 2024:
- 25-28 March and 2-5 April: Turn six days of annual leave into two weeks off for Easter by booking your annual leave around Good Friday and Easter Monday.
- 7-10 May: Get a week of work using just four days of annual leave.
- 28-31 May: Once again, you can get an extra day off while using four days of annual leave thanks to the bank holidays in May.
- 27-30 August: The summer bank holiday means another short week - or a whole week off if you use four days of annual leave.
- 23, 24, 27, 30 & 31 December: You can get 12 days off to spend with your family at Christmas by using just five days of annual leave this year.
- 2 & 3 January 2025: If you're willing to dip into next year's annual leave, you can turn that 12 days off at the end of the year into 16 by booking two days off.
How many bank holidays will there be in 2025?
Just like in 2024, there will be eight bank holidays in 2025 in England and Wales. In Scotland, there will be nine bank holidays, and Northern Ireland will enjoy 10 bank holidays.
The 2025 bank holidays will fall on the following dates:
- 1 January - New Year's Day
- 2 January - 2 January (Scotland only)
- 17 March - St. Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland only)
- 18 April - Good Friday
- 21 April - Easter Monday
- 5 May - Early May bank holiday
- 26 May - Spring bank holiday
- 14 July - Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland only)
- 25 August - Summer bank holiday
- 25 December - Christmas Day
- 26 December - Boxing Day
Take a look at our roundup of free things to do in London with the family for some bank holiday inspiration, or choose from our guides on family days out in the South West, the North East, the Midlands, Yorkshire, and family days out in Wales and Scotland too.
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