Scotland Bank Holidays 2026 and 2027
Every Scottish bank holiday for 2026 and 2027, how they differ from England, St Andrew's Day, the World Cup bank holiday, and local holidays in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Scotland has 10 bank holidays in 2026 and 9 in 2027. The next is St Andrew's Day, Monday 30 November 2026. Scotland differs from England in four ways: it keeps 2 January and St Andrew's Day, its summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August, and Easter Monday is not a bank holiday.
Scotland bank holidays 2026
Scotland has 10 bank holidays in 2026, one more than usual because of the World Cup bank holiday in June. Dates already passed are greyed out.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January | New Year's Day | Whole UK |
| Friday 2 January | 2nd January | Scotland only |
| Friday 3 April | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 4 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 25 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 15 June | World Cup bank holiday | Scotland only |
| Monday 3 August | Summer bank holiday | Scotland only |
| Monday 30 November | St Andrew's Day | Scotland only |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day | Whole UK |
| Monday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
Scotland bank holidays 2027
2027 has the usual 9 Scottish bank holidays. New Year's Day is a Friday and 2 January a Saturday, so Scotland's second New Year holiday moves to Monday 4 January, giving a four-day weekend. At the end of the year, Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend, so the bank holidays are Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January | New Year's Day | Whole UK |
| Monday 4 January | 2nd January (substitute day) | Scotland only |
| Friday 26 March | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 3 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 31 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 2 August | Summer bank holiday | Scotland only |
| Tuesday 30 November | St Andrew's Day | Scotland only |
| Monday 27 December | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
How Scottish bank holidays differ from England
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in a normal year against 8 in England and Wales, but it is not simply one extra day. Four holidays are different:
| Holiday | Scotland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 2 January | Bank holiday | Normal working day |
| Easter Monday | Not a bank holiday (often a local holiday) | Bank holiday |
| Summer bank holiday | First Monday in August | Last Monday in August |
| St Andrew's Day, 30 November | Bank holiday | Normal working day |
| New Year's Day, Good Friday, May, Christmas and Boxing Day | Bank holiday | Bank holiday |
For the full UK picture, including Northern Ireland bank holidays, see UK bank holidays and the next bank holiday.
St Andrew's Day bank holiday
St Andrew's Day, 30 November, is Scotland's national day. It became a bank holiday under the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. It falls on Monday 30 November 2026, Tuesday 30 November 2027 and Thursday 30 November 2028. When it falls on a weekend, the following Monday is the bank holiday instead.
St Andrew's Day works differently from other bank holidays in practice. The Act did not give anyone an extra day off, so many employers either ignore it or let staff swap it for another local holiday. Neither Edinburgh's nor Glasgow's published list of 2026 public holidays includes it, and many businesses stay open, so if you want the day off, check your contract.
The 2026 World Cup bank holiday
Monday 15 June 2026 was a one-off bank holiday in Scotland, to mark the men's national team playing at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. It was proposed by the First Minister, John Swinney, and made official by royal proclamation from the King.
Like St Andrew's Day, it did not guarantee a day off. It was a bank holiday for banks and many public services, but employers and councils could choose whether to observe it, and reports at the time said only a handful of Scotland's 32 councils did. It is why Scotland has 10 bank holidays in 2026 rather than 9.
Local public holidays in Edinburgh and Glasgow
Alongside bank holidays, each Scottish council sets its own local public holidays, such as the spring holiday, the September weekend and trades holidays. They vary from town to town and are not bank holidays, but many local employers, schools and council services follow them. These are the dates published by Scotland's two largest councils:
| Local holiday | Edinburgh 2026 | Edinburgh 2027 | Glasgow 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter Monday | Mon 6 April | Mon 29 March | Mon 6 April |
| Spring holiday | Mon 20 April | Mon 19 April | Mon 25 May |
| Victoria Day | Mon 18 May | Mon 24 May | Not listed |
| Summer | Trades holidays from Sat 4 July | Trades holidays from Sat 3 July | Glasgow Fair, Mon 20 July |
| Autumn (September weekend) | Mon 21 September | Mon 20 September | Mon 28 September |
Glasgow had not published its 2027 dates when we checked. For other areas, such as Aberdeen, Dundee or Fife, check your council's website, as dates can differ by a week or more.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in Scotland?
No, but many people in Scotland still get it off. Easter Monday is not one of Scotland's bank holidays, yet both Edinburgh and Glasgow list it as a local public holiday, and many employers follow the same pattern as England. Whether you get it depends on your contract. For all the Easter dates, see Easter 2027.
Bank holidays and work in Scotland
Employment law on holidays is the same across Great Britain. Almost every worker gets 5.6 weeks of paid holiday, which is 28 days for a five-day week, and employers can count bank and local holidays as part of it. There is no legal right to a bank holiday off, or to extra pay for working one, unless your contract says so.
- Because Scotland has more holidays, some of which are optional, it is common for contracts to give a set number of "public holidays" chosen by the employer rather than the official list.
- Part-time staff should get holidays pro rata. The Part-Time Holiday Calculator works out a fair share, and the Holiday Entitlement Calculator shows your full allowance.
- In Scotland, large shops must by law stay closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
- Scotland also has its own income tax bands, so take-home pay differs from the rest of the UK. The salary calculator has a Scotland option.
Scotland bank holidays 2028
GOV.UK has already published 2028. New Year's Day and 2 January both fall on a weekend, so the first two bank holidays are Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 January.
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 3 January | New Year's Day (substitute day) | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 4 January | 2nd January (substitute day) | Scotland only |
| Friday 14 April | Good Friday | Whole UK |
| Monday 1 May | Early May bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 29 May | Spring bank holiday | Whole UK |
| Monday 7 August | Summer bank holiday | Scotland only |
| Thursday 30 November | St Andrew's Day | Scotland only |
| Monday 25 December | Christmas Day | Whole UK |
| Tuesday 26 December | Boxing Day | Whole UK |
For Christmas and New Year details, see Christmas bank holidays. For long weekends and the three-day week in 2027, see UK bank holidays 2027.
Sources
- GOV.UK, UK bank holidays: Scotland, 2026 to 2028
- Scottish Government (gov.scot), Scottish bank holiday dates and the World Cup bank holiday
- St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007
- City of Edinburgh Council, public holidays 2026 and 2027
- Glasgow City Council public holidays 2026, as published by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
- Christmas Day and New Year's Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007
Scotland bank holidays: frequently asked questions
Quick answers about bank and public holidays in Scotland.
How many bank holidays are there in Scotland?
Scotland normally has 9 bank holidays a year. 2026 has 10, because of the one-off World Cup bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026. 2027 and 2028 have 9 each.
When is the next bank holiday in Scotland?
The next Scottish bank holiday is St Andrew's Day, Monday 30 November 2026, followed by Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and the Boxing Day substitute on Monday 28 December. The checker on this page always shows the next one.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in Scotland?
No. Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not in Scotland. Many Scottish councils, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, give it as a local public holiday instead, so whether you get it off depends on your employer.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday in Scotland?
Yes. Good Friday is a bank holiday across the UK, including Scotland. It was Friday 3 April in 2026 and is Friday 26 March in 2027.
When is the August bank holiday in Scotland?
Scotland's summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August, not the last. It was Monday 3 August 2026 and is Monday 2 August 2027. The last Monday in August is not a bank holiday in Scotland.
When are the May bank holidays in Scotland?
Scotland has the same May bank holidays as the rest of the UK. In 2027 they are Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May. In 2026 they were Monday 4 May and Monday 25 May.
Is St Andrew's Day a bank holiday?
Yes, in Scotland only. St Andrew's Day, 30 November, became a bank holiday under the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. It is Monday 30 November in 2026 and Tuesday 30 November in 2027. Employers do not have to give it as a day off, and many do not.
When is the September weekend holiday?
The September weekend is a local holiday set by councils, not a bank holiday, so the date varies. In 2026, Edinburgh's autumn holiday is Monday 21 September and Glasgow's is Monday 28 September. Check with your council or employer.