Is Easter Monday a Bank Holiday?
Well, that depends on whether you mean England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Scotland.
For England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the answer is … YES. It’s part of the long Easter weekend which includes Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
For Scotland, the answer is … NO.
Read on to find out if you’re entitled to time off – or not!
Click here for a more in-depth understanding of UK bank holidays and a full list of bank holidays in coming years.
Easter Bank Holiday 2023
| Date | Day | Holiday | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | All UK |
| 9 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday | (Not a bank holiday) |
| 10 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | All UK (ex. Scotland) |
Easter Bank Holiday 2024
| Date | Day | Holiday | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar | Fri | Good Friday | All UK |
| 31 Mar | Sun | Easter Sunday | (Not a bank holiday) |
| 1 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | All UK (ex. Scotland) |
Easter Bank Holiday 2025
| Date | Day | Holiday | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | All UK |
| 20 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday | (Not a bank holiday) |
| 21 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | All UK (ex. Scotland) |
Easter Bank Holiday 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | All UK |
| 5 Apr | Sun | Easter Sunday | (Not a bank holiday) |
| 6 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | All UK (ex. Scotland) |
Are you entitled to time off work on Easter Monday?
Now that’s a different matter entirely.
According to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 workers are not automatically entitled to take the day off on a bank holiday.
While it is customary for an employer to give staff a day off it is not a statutory requirement and derives solely from their contract with their employer. According to the Employment Rights Act 1996 all employees should receive a written statement relating to “holidays, including public holidays, and holiday pay”.
However, depending on the industry, should an employer not agree to give time off he/she would likely find large swathes of the workforce leaving for the door on a more permanent basis!
Some types of business and industry lend themselves more readily to opening on a bank holiday though such as retail, travel, leisure, and healthcare simply given the free time people have on that day. For example families may go out for a meal, to the cinema and take a trip on public transport. Bank holidays would be ever so dull if everything was closed.
So, the answer is both yes and no. Yes, it is highly likely your employer will grant you paid leave, but no, you are not entitled to it by law.
For a more in-depth piece on bank holiday entitlement and the law please read here. You may also be interested in our guide to bank holidays and bank holidays in the UK in 2016 and bank holidays in 2017.