Scotland Bank Holidays: Complete Holiday Dates

Planning your time off in Scotland starts here. Scots enjoy nine unique public holidays, including an extra day off like the distinctive 2nd January bank holiday. At Coming Holidays, we’ve compiled the complete list of Scotland bank holidays using official data. Let’s dive into the dates you need to know.

Upcoming Scottish Bank Holidays

Mark your calendars! Here are the official bank holiday dates for the next three years.

Scotland Bank Holidays for 2025

Scotland Bank Holidays for 2026

Scotland Bank Holidays for 2027

A Closer Look at Key Scottish Holidays

New Year’s Day & 2nd January

Scotland is famous for its New Year celebrations, or “Hogmanay,” and rightly gets two days to recover! The 2nd of January is a unique Scottish public holiday, making the New Year break extra special.

Good Friday

This Christian holiday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus and always falls on the Friday before Easter Sunday. It’s a traditional day of rest and reflection across Scotland.

Early May Bank Holiday

The first Monday in May kicks off the warmer months with a long weekend. It’s a popular time for short trips and enjoying Scotland’s emerging spring beauty.

Spring Bank Holiday

Falling on the last Monday in May, this holiday creates another welcome long weekend, often seen as the start of the summer season.

Summer Bank Holiday

While the rest of the UK has its summer holiday in August, Scotland’s falls on the first Monday of the month. It’s a key date for many local festivals and community events.

St Andrew’s Day

Celebrating Scotland’s patron saint on November 30th, this is a day of national pride. If it falls on a weekend, a substitute day is given, typically on the following Monday.

Christmas Day & Boxing Day

The classic year-end holidays. As you can see in the 2027 calendar, when these fall on a weekend, substitute days are allocated to ensure everyone still gets their festive break.

Understanding Substitute Bank Holidays in Scotland

The rule is simple: if a bank holiday like Christmas Day or St. Andrew’s Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, a ‘substitute’ weekday becomes the bank holiday instead. This is usually the following Monday. You can see this in action with the St. Andrew’s Day substitute day in 2025 and the Boxing Day substitute day in 2026.

Scottish Bank Holidays vs. The Rest of the UK

Scotland does its own thing! Key differences include:

• 2nd January: This is a unique Scottish holiday not observed in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
• Summer Bank Holiday: Scotland takes its holiday at the start of August, while it’s at the end for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• No Easter Monday: Scotland does not have Easter Monday as a bank holiday, unlike the rest of the UK.

Your Rights: Time Off Work on Bank Holidays

This is a common question: “Am I entitled to time off on bank holidays?” The answer isn’t straightforward. There is no statutory right to paid leave on bank holidays. Your entitlement depends entirely on your contract of employment. Some employers include them as part of your annual leave, while others do not. Always check with your employer to understand your specific employer entitlement.

Business and Bank Closures

You might ask, “Are banks closed on Scottish bank holidays?” Interestingly, banks in Scotland do not always close on Scottish bank holidays. For operational consistency, they often follow the same schedule as banks in England and Wales. Furthermore, there is no law in the UK that forces business closures on bank holidays—it’s up to individual businesses to decide.

Local Holidays in Scotland

Beyond the national bank holidays, Scotland also has local holidays (or local council holidays). These are determined by each local council and can differ between areas, such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, or Aberdeen. Always check your local council’s website for these specific public holidays.

Official Sources:

• For the most authoritative information, always refer to the Government UK (Gov.uk) website
• To confirm your bank holiday dates: Scottish Government Publication website

FAQs

Share on Facebook

Post on X

Follow us

Save

Nico Bevan

I've always helped people across the UK plan their year with reliable holiday insights. I'm passionate about accuracy and organization; I ensure every celebration and bank holiday is easy to plan for.