When is Summer Bank Holiday 2026?
The Summer Bank Holiday is the last public holiday of the British summer. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it falls on the last Monday of August — Monday, 31 August 2026 — giving most people a three-day weekend.
It has no fixed calendar date; it simply moves to the final Monday of the month each year. Scotland keeps a separate summer bank holiday on the first Monday of August, so the date differs north of the border.
For many it marks the unofficial end of summer — the last long weekend before autumn, schools going back and the run-up to Christmas.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
This date applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland's summer bank holiday is on the first Monday of August instead, so if you're in Scotland the day off comes earlier in the month.