May Bank Holidays 2027
There are two May bank holidays in 2027: Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May, the same across the UK. Here are the dates for every nation, May half term, the days to book off, and May bank holiday dates up to 2030.
The May bank holidays 2027 are Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May. The first is the early May bank holiday and the second is the spring bank holiday. Both are bank holidays in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In 2028 they fall on Monday 1 May and Monday 29 May.
May bank holiday 2027 dates
May is the only month with two bank holidays everywhere in the UK. Unlike Easter, neither one moves with the church calendar: they are fixed to the first and last Mondays of the month.
| Bank holiday | Date in 2027 | England and Wales | Scotland | N Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early May bank holiday | Monday 3 May 2027 | Bank holiday | Bank holiday | Bank holiday |
| Spring bank holiday | Monday 31 May 2027 | Bank holiday | Bank holiday | Bank holiday |
The two dates are exactly four weeks apart, with 19 working days between them. They are the fourth and fifth bank holidays of the year in England and Wales, after New Year's Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday. For the full list, see UK bank holidays 2027.
Early May bank holiday 2027: Monday 3 May
The early May bank holiday is always the first Monday in May. In 2027 that is Monday 3 May. It is often called the May Day bank holiday, although May Day itself is 1 May, which is a Saturday in 2027. The bank holiday is not a substitute day for 1 May. It is set as the first Monday, whatever day 1 May falls on.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is the newest of the regular bank holidays, added in 1978. Scotland has had a bank holiday on the first Monday in May since 1871. It has been moved twice to mark VE Day: to Monday 8 May in 1995 and to Friday 8 May in 2020. In 2023 there was an extra bank holiday on Monday 8 May for the Coronation, on top of the usual one on 1 May.
Spring bank holiday 2027: Monday 31 May
The spring bank holiday is always the last Monday in May. In 2027 that is Monday 31 May, the latest date it can fall on. You will also see it called the late May bank holiday or the Whitsun bank holiday.
The Whitsun name comes from the holiday it replaced. Whit Monday, the day after Whit Sunday, had been a bank holiday since 1871, but it moved with Easter and could land anywhere from mid May to mid June. A fixed last Monday in May was trialled from 1965 and made permanent in 1971. In 2027 Whit Sunday is 16 May, so the old Whit Monday would have been 17 May. That day is now an ordinary working day.
The spring bank holiday has been moved into June three times for royal jubilees, in 2002, 2012 and 2022, each time paired with an extra bank holiday to make a four-day weekend. Nothing like that has been announced for 2027.
How to get 9 days off for 4 days of leave
Each May bank holiday is a Monday, so booking the other four days of that week gives you nine days off in a row:
| Book off | Leave used | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| Tue 4 to Fri 7 May | 4 days | 9 (Sat 1 to Sun 9 May) |
| Tue 1 to Fri 4 June | 4 days | 9 (Sat 29 May to Sun 6 June) |
| Tue 4 to Fri 28 May | 19 days | 31 (the whole of May) |
The second option lines up with May half term in many areas, so it is the one that gets booked first. If your team limits how many people can be off at once, ask early.
If your holiday year runs from April to March, both May bank holidays fall in the 2027/28 leave year. That year has only 6 bank holidays in England and Wales, because Easter 2027 falls before it starts and Easter 2028 after it ends. If your contract gives 28 days including bank holidays, that leaves 22 days to book yourself. The Holiday Entitlement Calculator shows your own figure.
May half term 2027
School holidays are set by each council, or by academies themselves. In many parts of England, May half term 2027 is the week that starts with the spring bank holiday:
- Hertfordshire: Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027
- Luton: Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027
For working parents, covering that week takes 4 days of annual leave, because the Monday is a bank holiday. The early May bank holiday on 3 May is a single day off school, not a half term. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own term dates, and some schools differ from their council, so check before booking.
May bank holidays in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Both May bank holidays fall on the same dates in all four nations, which is unusual. Easter Monday, the summer bank holiday and several others differ between them.
- Scotland: Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May 2027 are both bank holidays. Scottish councils also set local holidays, and many employers follow those. Edinburgh lists Victoria Day on Monday 24 May 2027. See Scotland bank holidays.
- Wales: the same dates as England.
- Northern Ireland: the same two May dates, with St Patrick's Day in March and the Battle of the Boyne holiday in July as extras. See Northern Ireland bank holidays.
May bank holidays, pay and time off
- Time off: there is no legal right to have a bank holiday off. Whether you work it depends on your contract.
- Pay: there is no legal right to extra pay for working a bank holiday. Time and a half or double time applies only if your contract or a workplace agreement says so. The Overtime Calculator shows what an enhanced rate is worth after tax.
- Holiday allowance: your employer can count bank holidays as part of your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday. Does 28 days holiday include bank holidays? explains what your contract wording means.
- Part-time staff: both May bank holidays are Mondays. If you never work Mondays, you should still get a pro rata share of bank holiday time, so you are not treated less favourably than full-time colleagues. The Part-Time Holiday Calculator works it out.
- Payments: Bacs does not process payments on bank holidays. Benefits due on a bank holiday are usually paid on the working day before. If your payday lands on 3 or 31 May, ask payroll which day they will pay.
- Shops: Sunday trading limits do not apply on a bank holiday Monday, so large shops in England and Wales can open normal hours. Many choose shorter hours, and most bank branches close.
Working days in May 2027
May 2027 has 21 weekdays. Take off the two bank holidays and a Monday to Friday worker has 19 working days, the same in every part of the UK.
| Month | Weekdays | Bank holidays | Working days |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | 21 | 2 | 19 |
| May 2027 | 21 | 2 | 19 |
| May 2028 | 23 | 2 | 21 |
If you are paid monthly, your salary is the same in a short month. If you are paid by the day or the hour, it matters more: May is the shortest working month of 2027 in England and Wales. Count any period with the Working Days Calculator.
May bank holidays 2026 to 2030
| Year | Early May bank holiday | Spring bank holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mon 4 May | Mon 25 May | Passed |
| 2027 | Mon 3 May | Mon 31 May | Confirmed |
| 2028 | Mon 1 May | Mon 29 May | Confirmed |
| 2029 | Mon 7 May | Mon 28 May | Expected |
| 2030 | Mon 6 May | Mon 27 May | Expected |
GOV.UK has confirmed bank holidays up to 2028. The 2029 and 2030 dates follow the first and last Monday rule and will be confirmed nearer the time. The bank holidays before May are at Easter: see Easter 2027 dates and bank holidays. For the next one in your nation, see UK bank holidays.
Sources
- GOV.UK, UK bank holidays for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, 2026 to 2028
- Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971
- Hertfordshire County Council and Luton Borough Council, school term dates 2026 to 2027
- GOV.UK, Holiday entitlement, and Part-time workers' rights
- City of Edinburgh Council, public holidays 2027
May bank holidays 2027: frequently asked questions
Quick answers about the early May and spring bank holidays.
When are the May bank holidays in 2027?
The May bank holidays 2027 are Monday 3 May, the early May bank holiday, and Monday 31 May, the spring bank holiday. Both apply in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Is Monday 3 May 2027 a bank holiday?
Yes. Monday 3 May 2027 is the early May bank holiday across the whole UK. It is always the first Monday in May, so it is not a substitute for 1 May, which falls on a Saturday in 2027.
Is Monday 31 May 2027 a bank holiday?
Yes. Monday 31 May 2027 is the spring bank holiday, sometimes called the late May or Whitsun bank holiday. It is always the last Monday in May and applies across the UK.
Why are there two bank holidays in May?
They have separate origins. In England and Wales, the spring bank holiday on the last Monday of May replaced Whit Monday, which had been a bank holiday since 1871. The early May bank holiday on the first Monday of May was added in 1978.
Are the May bank holidays the same in Scotland?
Yes. Scotland has the same two May bank holidays as the rest of the UK: Monday 3 May and Monday 31 May 2027. Scottish councils also set local holidays, such as Victoria Day in Edinburgh on Monday 24 May 2027.
When is May half term 2027?
In many parts of England, May half term 2027 is Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June, starting on the spring bank holiday. Hertfordshire and Luton both use these dates. Term dates are set locally, so check your own council or school.
Do you get paid extra for working a May bank holiday?
Only if your contract says so. There is no legal right to extra pay for working a bank holiday, or to have the day off. Your employer can count bank holidays as part of your 5.6 weeks of paid holiday.
When are the May bank holidays in 2028?
In 2028 the early May bank holiday is Monday 1 May and the spring bank holiday is Monday 29 May. GOV.UK has confirmed both dates.
What is the next bank holiday after May 2027?
In England and Wales the next bank holiday after 31 May 2027 is the summer bank holiday on Monday 30 August. Scotland's summer bank holiday is Monday 2 August, and Northern Ireland has the Battle of the Boyne holiday on Monday 12 July.