Why are Scotland's bank holidays different?
9 in Scotland in 2027
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2027 against England and Wales's 8. It adds 2 January and St Andrew's Day, has no Easter Monday, and its summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August (Monday 2 August), not the last.
The differences in 2027
| Bank holiday | Scotland | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd January | Mon 4 Jan sub | not a bank holiday |
| Easter Monday | not a bank holiday | Mon 29 Mar |
| Summer bank holiday | Mon 2 Aug | Mon 30 Aug |
| St Andrew’s Day | Tue 30 Nov | not a bank holiday |
- Local holidays. Scottish councils can set their own local public holidays, such as a spring or autumn holiday, so your town may have days the rest of Scotland doesn't. Find yours on your council's website (mygov.scot has the list).
- Your employer decides. Bank holidays don't have to be given as paid leave anywhere in the UK, and an employer can follow its own holiday calendar instead. Check your contract.
- Easter costs more leave. With no Easter Monday, the same four days of leave buy one day fewer than in England. Easter 2027 in Scotland.
- New Year goes further. 2 January means the Christmas break can run a day longer. Christmas 2027.
- St Andrew's Day is Tuesday 30 November 2027. The days to book around it.
Sources
- gov.uk: UK bank holidays
- mygov.scot: Public and bank holidays
- legislation.gov.uk: St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007
- gov.uk: Holiday entitlement
Checked on 26 October 2026. This is general information about the legal minimum in the UK, not legal advice: your contract can give you more, and can set its own rules for notice and carrying over. For help with your own situation, call the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 (England, Scotland and Wales) or the Labour Relations Agency on 03300 555 300 (Northern Ireland).
More questions
Is Easter Monday a bank holiday in Scotland?
No. Good Friday is, but Easter Monday isn't on Scotland's list. Check your council's local holidays too.
When is the August bank holiday in Scotland?
The first Monday in August: Monday 2 August 2027 in 2027. The rest of the UK has it on the last Monday. August bank holiday 2027.