Easter 2027: Dates and Bank Holidays UK
Easter 2027 is early, with Easter Sunday on 28 March. Here are the Easter bank holidays for every part of the UK, school holiday dates, how to get 10 days off for 4 days of leave, and every Easter date to 2032.
Easter 2027 is Sunday 28 March, the earliest Easter since 2016. The Easter bank holidays are Good Friday, 26 March, everywhere in the UK, and Easter Monday, 29 March, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland but not Scotland. Easter Sunday is not a bank holiday. The clocks also go forward one hour on Easter Sunday morning.
Easter 2027 dates
Every date in the Easter calendar moves with Easter Sunday. For 2027:
| Day | Date | Bank holiday? |
|---|---|---|
| Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) | Tuesday 9 February 2027 | No |
| Ash Wednesday, start of Lent | Wednesday 10 February 2027 | No |
| Mothering Sunday | Sunday 7 March 2027 | No |
| Palm Sunday | Sunday 21 March 2027 | No |
| Maundy Thursday | Thursday 25 March 2027 | No |
| Good Friday | Friday 26 March 2027 | Yes, whole UK |
| Holy Saturday | Saturday 27 March 2027 | No |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 28 March 2027 | No |
| Easter Monday | Monday 29 March 2027 | Yes, except Scotland |
Easter Sunday 2027 is also the day British Summer Time starts, so the clocks go forward one hour at 1am. If you work a night shift over Easter weekend, you will work an hour less that night.
Easter bank holidays 2027 by nation
| Day | England and Wales | Scotland | N Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good Friday, 26 March | Bank holiday | Bank holiday | Bank holiday |
| Easter Sunday, 28 March | Not a bank holiday | Not a bank holiday | Not a bank holiday |
| Easter Monday, 29 March | Bank holiday | Not a bank holiday | Bank holiday |
| Easter Tuesday, 30 March | Not a bank holiday | Not a bank holiday | Not a bank holiday |
Is Good Friday a bank holiday?
Yes, everywhere in the UK. Good Friday is one of only two Easter days that are bank holidays, and the only one that applies in Scotland too.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday?
Yes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland. Many Scottish councils, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, still give it as a local holiday. See Scotland bank holidays for details.
Is Easter Sunday a bank holiday?
No. Easter Sunday always falls on a Sunday, so it is not a bank holiday and no substitute day is given. Easter Tuesday is not a bank holiday either, although some employers in Northern Ireland give it as a privilege day.
How to get 10 days off at Easter 2027
With two bank holidays around a weekend, a few days of leave go a long way:
| Where you work | Book off | Leave used | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|---|
| England, Wales or NI | Tue 30 March to Fri 2 April | 4 days | 10 (26 Mar to 4 Apr) |
| England, Wales or NI | Mon 22 to Thu 25 March, and 30 March to 2 April | 8 days | 16 (20 Mar to 4 Apr) |
| Scotland | Mon 29 March to Fri 2 April | 5 days | 10 (26 Mar to 4 Apr) |
Because Easter is in March, these days come out of the 2026/27 holiday year if yours runs from April. That year also caught Easter 2026, so it has more bank holidays than usual. The UK bank holidays 2027 page explains the knock-on effect, and the Holiday Entitlement Calculator shows how much leave you have.
Easter school holidays 2027
School holidays are set by each council, or by academies themselves, so they vary. In many parts of England the 2027 Easter holidays run from the end of March to Friday 9 April, with pupils back on Monday 12 April. For example:
- Luton: Friday 26 March to Friday 9 April 2027
- Tower Hamlets: Monday 29 March to Friday 9 April 2027
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own term dates. For working parents, covering a two-week break from Monday 29 March to Friday 9 April takes 9 days of annual leave in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, because Easter Monday is a bank holiday. Check your own council or school before booking.
Why is Easter so early in 2027?
Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, as worked out by the Church. That means it can fall on any date from 22 March to 25 April. In 2027 it lands on 28 March, near the start of that range, making it the earliest Easter since 27 March 2016. Easter 2028 swings the other way, to 16 April.
Working at Easter: shops, pay and rights
- Shops: in England and Wales, large shops over 280 square metres must stay closed on Easter Sunday under Sunday trading law. Scotland has no such rule. Good Friday and Easter Monday opening is up to each shop.
- Pay: there is no legal right to extra pay for working a bank holiday, or to the day off. Time and a half or double time only applies if your contract says so.
- Holiday: most employers count Good Friday and Easter Monday as part of your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday. Part-time staff should get them pro rata; the Part-Time Holiday Calculator works this out.
- Working days: March 2027 has 21 working days in England and Wales. Count any period with the Working Days Calculator.
Easter dates 2026 to 2032
| Year | Good Friday | Easter Sunday | Easter Monday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fri 3 April | Sun 5 April | Mon 6 April |
| 2027 | Fri 26 March | Sun 28 March | Mon 29 March |
| 2028 | Fri 14 April | Sun 16 April | Mon 17 April |
| 2029 | Fri 30 March | Sun 1 April | Mon 2 April |
| 2030 | Fri 19 April | Sun 21 April | Mon 22 April |
| 2031 | Fri 11 April | Sun 13 April | Mon 14 April |
| 2032 | Fri 26 March | Sun 28 March | Mon 29 March |
GOV.UK has confirmed the Easter bank holidays up to 2028. Later years follow the Easter calculation and are confirmed nearer the time. 2032 falls on exactly the same dates as 2027. For every other bank holiday, see UK bank holidays and the next bank holiday.
Sources
- GOV.UK, UK bank holidays for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 2026 to 2028
- Luton Borough Council and Tower Hamlets Council, school term dates 2026 to 2027
- Sunday Trading Act 1994
- GOV.UK, When do the clocks change
Easter 2027: frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Easter dates and bank holidays.
When is Easter 2027?
Easter Sunday 2027 is 28 March. Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday is 29 March. It is the earliest Easter since 2016, when Easter Sunday was 27 March.
Is Good Friday a bank holiday?
Yes. Good Friday is a bank holiday everywhere in the UK, including Scotland. In 2027 it is Friday 26 March, and in 2028 it is Friday 14 April.
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday?
Yes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but not in Scotland. In 2027 Easter Monday is 29 March. Many Scottish councils give it as a local holiday instead, so check with your employer.
Is Easter Sunday a bank holiday?
No. Easter Sunday is always a Sunday, so it is not a bank holiday and there is no substitute day for it. The Easter bank holidays are Good Friday and Easter Monday. In England and Wales, large shops must stay closed on Easter Sunday.
When are the Easter school holidays in 2027?
They are set by each council, but in many parts of England they run from Friday 26 March or Monday 29 March to Friday 9 April 2027, with pupils back on Monday 12 April. Luton and Tower Hamlets both use these dates. Check your own council or school.
Why is Easter so early in 2027?
Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after 21 March, so it can fall anywhere from 22 March to 25 April. In 2027 the dates line up to give 28 March, near the start of that range.
When is Easter 2028?
Easter 2028 is much later, on Sunday 16 April. Good Friday is 14 April and Easter Monday is 17 April 2028.
When are Pancake Day and Mothering Sunday in 2027?
Both depend on Easter. Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, is Tuesday 9 February 2027, and Mothering Sunday is Sunday 7 March 2027, three weeks before Easter. Neither is a bank holiday.