Boxing Day 2026 date confirmed as bank holiday moves
Boxing Day in 2026 falls on Saturday 26 December, so the official bank holiday for England and Wales moves to Monday 28 December. Christmas Day stays on Friday 25 December, giving many workers a longer festive break. The substitute day keeps the holiday when it lands on a weekend.
Key Takeaways
- Boxing Day 2026 lands on Saturday 26 December, with the bank holiday observed on Monday 28 December.
- Christmas Day 2026 remains Friday 25 December in England and Wales.
- Remaining 2026 bank holidays also include Monday 31 August (Summer Bank Holiday).
- In 2027, Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall on a weekend, with substitutes on 27 and 28 December.
- England and Wales usually recognise eight bank holidays a year, fewer than many other nations.
When is Boxing Day in 2026?
According to the Manchester Evening News, Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December 2026. Because that date is a weekend, the Government allocates a substitute bank holiday on the following Monday.
That means the Boxing Day bank holiday will be observed on Monday 28 December 2026 in England and Wales. Christmas Day falls on Friday 25 December, so it does not need a substitute day this year.
Households planning leave, travel, or retail opening hours should diary Monday 28 December rather than Saturday 26 December as the official public holiday.
Why does the Boxing Day bank holiday move?
When Boxing Day, Christmas Day or New Year's Day land on a weekend, the Government issues a substitute bank holiday on a weekday. The aim is to ensure the public holiday is not lost simply because it falls on Saturday or Sunday.
Wales Online explains that a substitute day is usually the following Monday, so workers still get an official day off. England and Wales share the same bank holiday calendar, while Scotland and Northern Ireland follow their own lists.
England and Wales typically recognise eight bank holidays each year. Not every worker automatically receives them as paid leave; employers can include bank holidays within statutory annual leave entitlement, as noted via Gov.uk guidance reported by Wales Online.
What other bank holidays remain in 2026?
For the rest of 2026, confirmed bank holidays in England and Wales are Monday 31 August (Summer Bank Holiday), Friday 25 December (Christmas Day), and Monday 28 December (Boxing Day substitute day).
After the late-August Summer Bank Holiday, the next official days off for many workers will not arrive until the Christmas period. That long stretch makes the festive substitute dates especially useful for planning.
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What are the Boxing Day dates for 2027?
In 2027, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day land on a weekend. Confirmed substitute bank holidays are Monday 27 December for Christmas Day and Tuesday 28 December for Boxing Day.
The full 2027 list for England and Wales also includes New Year's Day on Friday 1 January, Good Friday on 26 March, Easter Monday on 29 March, Early May Bank Holiday on 3 May, Spring bank holiday on 31 May, and Summer bank holiday on 30 August.
Planning ahead for Boxing Day 2026 and the following year helps households and employers lock in leave before the festive rush. The Monday 28 December substitute day is the key date to diary this Christmas.