The Boxing Day bank holiday will take place on a different day in 2026 after the Christmas period creates a weekend scheduling change.
The adjustment affects workers across England And Wales, with the government applying its usual system for replacing bank holidays that fall on weekends.
The change follows the UK government’s long-standing approach of moving weekend bank holidays to the next available weekday.
The Confirmed Date Change For Boxing Day 2026
When a public holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday, the official bank holiday is replaced by a weekday date so employees do not lose the scheduled day off.
In 2026, Christmas Day remains on Friday, December 25, while Boxing Day falls the following day on Saturday. The substitute day will therefore be Monday, December 28.
According to the Manchester Evening News, the replacement date has been confirmed as part of the wider bank holiday calendar covering the remainder of 2026 and the full schedule for 2027.
The arrangement means the Christmas holiday period will provide a long weekend for many workers, with Christmas Day on Friday followed by the substitute Boxing Day holiday on Monday.
Credit: Canva
Bank Holiday Calendar For England And Wales
The UK does not have the same number of public holidays across every nation. England And Wales normally recognise eight bank holidays each year, while Scotland has nine and Northern Ireland has ten.
The government can introduce additional bank holidays for special events. In 2022, the UK received two extra holidays to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee and the state funeral following her death.
There was also discussion about a possible additional holiday in 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, though no extra bank holiday was announced.
The confirmed remaining bank holidays for England And Wales In 2026 are:
- Monday, August 31: Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25: Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28: Boxing Day Substitute Holiday
More Christmas Changes Are Scheduled For 2027
The following year will bring another adjustment to the festive bank holiday schedule.
In 2027, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on the weekend. Christmas Day will be observed on Saturday, December 25, while Boxing Day will fall on Sunday, December 26.
The substitute bank holidays will be:
- Monday, December 27: Christmas Day Substitute Holiday
- Tuesday, December 28: Boxing Day Substitute Holiday
The full 2027 Bank Holiday Calendar For England And Wales includes:
- Friday, January 1: New Year’s Day
- Friday, March 26: Good Friday
- Monday, March 29: Easter Monday
- Monday, May 3: Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 31: Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 30: Summer Bank Holiday
- Monday, December 27: Christmas Day Substitute Holiday
- Tuesday, December 28: Boxing Day Substitute Holiday
The next Christmas-related change will affect the end-of-year schedule in 2026, when the Boxing Day bank holiday is officially observed on Monday, December 28.
