List Of Uk Bank Holidays 2025

Ah, the British bank holiday. It’s the national equivalent of that friend who says they’ll be ready in five minutes, but then takes an hour. We all live for it, but we also know the inevitable chaos that follows.

For 2025, the government has kindly handed us a little pocket calendar of days off. Think of this list as your survival guide for dodging work emails and planning that BBQ that will get rained on.

First up, we have New Year’s Day on Wednesday, 1st January. This is the official “I’m never drinking again” day, usually spent in pajamas until 4 PM.

Then comes Good Friday on Friday, 18th April. It’s the day the supermarkets stockpile hot cross buns like they’re preparing for a siege. You will buy three packs. You will eat two.

Straight after that is Easter Monday on Monday, 21st April. This is the day you realize you’ve eaten so much chocolate that your fingers are sticky and your soul is sluggish. It’s glorious.

The Early May Mayhem

Mark your calendars for Early May Bank Holiday on Monday, 5th May. This is the one where every British person collectively decides to “go for a nice walk in the country.”

You’ll spend two hours in traffic just to park next to a cow that looks judgemental. The National Trust car parks will be rammed by 9:30 AM. Bring a flask, or face the wrath of an overpriced café queue.

Then there’s the Spring Bank Holiday on Monday, 26th May. This is the unofficial signal to panic-buy a garden hose. The sun will likely appear, and you’ll suddenly think you’re a horticultural expert.

You’ll spend the long weekend at B&Q arguing about which shade of grey to paint the fence. It’s a rite of passage.

The Big Summer Holiday

Now, here is the big one: Summer Bank Holiday on Monday, 25th August. This is our last desperate grab at summer before the leaves turn brown and the jumpers come out.

2025 Calendar with Bank Holidays Printable | Calendars 2025

Expect a sudden, nationwide wave of optimism. You’ll book a camping trip, convince yourself “the weather will hold,” and then spend Monday huddled under a damp gazebo.

It’s also the day the motorways become an art installation of brake lights. Every single person in England decides to drive to Cornwall at the exact same time.

If you stay home, you’ll realise your neighbour has a new, very loud power tool. You’ll wave awkwardly over the fence, pretending to enjoy the drone of a strimmer.

A Christmas Detour

December gives us a solid double-punch. First, Christmas Day on Thursday, 25th December. This is the one where you eat so much stuffing you contemplate the meaning of life.

You’ll have a row with a relative over the last roast potato. You’ll also pretend to like a present you definitely won’t use. It’s tradition.

Then Boxing Day on Friday, 26th December. This is the national day of regrets, cold turkey sandwiches, and watching The Great Escape for the 47th time.

Some brave souls hit the sales, which is basically a gladiator arena with discounted toasters. I admire their courage from my sofa.

Bank Holidays 2025 Uk Calendar Printable - Calendar 2025 Printables

The Underrated Bonus Day

And finally, a cheeky little treat: Monday, 26th May (already mentioned) and a special note for Scotland. They get 2nd January and St. Andrew’s Day (30th November) as bonuses.

But for the rest of us, we just get the one extra day in May. It’s like finding a tenner in an old coat—unexpected, but deeply satisfying.

Let’s also not forget that banking apps still act confused on these days. You’ll try to pay for a coffee, and the screen will just spin and say “processing” for three hours.

Pro tip: Plan your shopping around the bank holiday. Supermarkets close early, and you will be that person buying a single bag of salad at 5 PM in a panic.

In 2025, the key is to embrace the chaos. Accept that the train will be cancelled, the BBQ will be blustery, and you’ll accidentally call your sibling by the dog’s name.

These days off are our collective permission slip to be a bit useless. We all need that. We all deserve that.

So, print this list, stick it on your fridge, and start dreaming of that extra lie-in. The sausages in the rain can wait.