C4.22 UK Bank Holidays¶
What Are the National Statutory Holidays in the UK?
When I first went to the UK, I heard about "Bank Holidays"—they occur quite frequently, and all UK banks really do close on these days. At first, I thought Bank Holidays were just holidays for banks. But in reality, all national statutory holidays in the UK are collectively referred to as "Bank Holidays".
This is different from China’s statutory holidays, such as Lunar New Year, New Year’s Day, May Day, National Day, and Mid-Autumn Festival. UK statutory holidays all have "Bank" added before them. What’s more, Bank Holidays vary by region in the UK: apart from major holidays like Christmas (which is observed nationwide), England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each have their own unique Bank Holidays.
Currently, the UK has 8 fixed statutory holidays. Some Bank Holidays last for multiple days, while most only last one day—and it is very common for one-day Bank Holidays to fall on a Monday.
The History of Bank Holidays
There is a historical story behind Bank Holidays: In 1834, the Bank of England established many holidays for its own employees, meaning banks would close entirely on these days. At the time, the UK had very few national statutory holidays. Since most British business activities relied on banks to operate, many businesses couldn’t function normally once banks closed—and thus closed too. Over time, in 1871, a British duke named John Lubbock proposed making Bank Holidays national statutory holidays. After the proposal was approved, Bank Holidays became days off for everyone.
What Are the 8 Statutory Holidays in the UK?
New Year’s Day
In China, this is equivalent to Yuan Dan (New Year’s Day), usually falling on January 1st. UK New Year’s holidays often stretch from Christmas through the first month of the new year, resulting in an extra-long holiday of nearly a month. Every year, London’s Ferris wheel (the London Eye) hosts a fireworks display, and cities across the UK hold New Year’s Eve countdowns with fireworks—similar to China’s Lunar New Year countdowns.
Good Friday
This holiday is observed alongside Easter (see below), usually in April, with a break of 1 to 2 weeks.
Easter Monday
Easter is one of the UK’s most important holidays. Various events are held across the UK around Easter time. It is observed together with Good Friday, with a total holiday period of about 1 to 2 weeks.
Early May Bank Holiday
This is a holiday meant for outdoor outings (like spring outings), usually lasting one day.
Spring Bank Holiday
Another holiday for outdoor activities and enjoying flowers and greenery, typically lasting one day.
Summer Bank Holiday
A holiday for relaxation and leisure in summer, lasting one day.
Christmas Day
Christmas is the UK’s biggest holiday. Its holiday period can be as long as one month (extending into the new year), though it usually lasts around 3 weeks, depending on specific arrangements.
Boxing Day
This is a major shopping day, with many products offered at extremely low discounts. For example, a piece of clothing that normally costs several hundred pounds may be discounted to just dozens of pounds—and the discounts apply not only to old stock but also to new arrivals.
UK Statutory Bank Holiday Schedule
UK Bank Holidays are public holidays observed in the UK, some Commonwealth countries, some European countries (e.g., Switzerland), and some former British colonies (e.g., Hong Kong). When the Bank Holidays Act was enacted in 1871, England had 4 Bank Holidays and Scotland had 5.
The dates of Bank Holidays are announced annually on the UK government’s official website. For the published Bank Holiday dates, visit: https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays