Scotland’s 2026 bank holiday calendar differs from England and Wales in a few important places, especially in January, August, and late November.
Key facts
- Total standard bank holidays commonly used for planning: 9
- Scotland includes 2 January and St Andrew’s Day
- Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the substitute bank holiday is Monday, 28 December
Full 2026 bank holiday list
- Thursday, 1 January: New Year’s Day
- Friday, 2 January: 2 January bank holiday
- Friday, 3 April: Good Friday
- Monday, 4 May: Early May bank holiday
- Monday, 25 May: Spring bank holiday
- Monday, 3 August: Summer bank holiday
- Monday, 30 November: St Andrew’s Day
- Friday, 25 December: Christmas Day
- Monday, 28 December: Boxing Day substitute bank holiday
What changes on those dates?
Banks and many public-sector services close on these dates, but actual closure patterns can still vary by employer and local authority. That is why a Scotland-specific list matters more than a generic UK summary.
How to plan around it
The Scottish calendar creates useful break opportunities at the start of January, early August, and late November. If you want to maximise leave, those are the dates worth mapping first before you use your remaining allowance around Easter or Christmas.