If you’re planning to handle your personal finances on a holiday, you might be surprised to find your bank is closed. Many banks observe Public holidays just as you do, so here’s a comprehensive list of UK bank holidays and information about when banks are open to help you in 2024.
What Holidays Are Banks Closed?
National holidays are those commonly celebrated throughout the country, while a public holidays is one recognized by the government. In the UK., certain institutions—such as banks, post offices, government offices and most schools—are closed during public holidays. Here’s a list of those holidays with their dates observed.
UK Bank Holidays Calendar for 2024
Are the banks open today? If it’s a public holiday, chances are your bank will be closed. See below for the list of bank holidays in 2024. Note that when a holiday falls on a Saturday, banks will close the Friday before. And if it falls on a Sunday, banks close the following Monday. If you need to plan even further ahead, you can visit the Gov.uk website to see which holidays will be observed, along with their corresponding dates, for the next few years.
Bank Holidays Schedule 2024
| New Year Day | 1 January |
| 2nd January | 2 January (Scotland only) |
| Saint Patrick’s Day | 17 March (in Northern Ireland only) |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter |
| Easter Monday | Monday after Easter Sunday (except in Scotland) |
| Easter Tuesday | Tuesday after Easter (Nothern Ireland only) |
| May Day | First Monday of May |
| Victoria Day | 21 May (Scotland only) |
| Spring Bank Holiday | Last Monday of May (except in Northern Ireland, where it is the first Monday of May) |
| Orangemen’s Day | 12 & 13 July (Northern Ireland only) |
| Summer Bank Holiday | Last Monday of August (except in Scotland, where it is on the first Monday of August) |
| St Andrew’s Day | 30 November (in Scotland only) |
| Christmas Day | 25 December |
| Boxing Day | 26 December |
What To Do if Your Bank Is Closed
If your bank is closed on a public holiday—or because of special circumstances like an emergency situation or global pandemic—you can still fulfill most of your banking needs by visiting the nearest ATMs and accessing your bank account online or through your bank’s mobile app. Check your bank’s website or call ahead to find out if it’s closed on a particular day.
If you discover your bank is closed for the holiday, any deposits you make won’t be posted until the next business day. The upside to this is that withdrawals will also be suspended.
Upcoming bank holidays 2024 in England and Wales
| Date | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 29 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 1 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 6 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 27 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 26 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December | Wednesday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Thursday | Boxing Day |
Upcoming bank holidays 2024 in Scotland
| Date | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 29 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 6 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 27 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 5 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 2 December | Monday | St Andrew’s Day (substitute day) |
| 25 December | Wednesday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Thursday | Boxing Day |
Upcoming bank holidays 2024 in Northern Ireland
| Date | Day of the week | Bank holiday |
|---|---|---|
| 18 March | Monday | St Patrick’s Day (substitute day) |
| 29 March | Friday | Good Friday |
| 1 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 6 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 27 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 12 July | Friday | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) |
| 26 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December | Wednesday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Thursday | Boxing Day |
Online Bill Payments on Bank Holidays
If your bill due date falls on a public holiday, your payment will be processed the following business day. In this instance, your payment will be considered on time as long as you made the payment before the bill cut-off time, which cannot be before 6:00 p.m on the bill due date.
For example, let’s say your credit card bill is due on thursday, March 29 or Good Friday, and you pay it at 3 p.m. Your transaction will be processed on March 30, the following business day. You won’t be charged a late fee because you made your payment on the credit card’s due date.
Are Online Banking Open During Bank Holidays?
Online banking services often remain accessible even when physical bank branches are closed. Customers can often perform essential transactions, check balances, and manage their accounts through online and mobile banking platforms. It’s recommended to check with your specific bank for details.
Bottom Line
If it’s a public holiday, it’s likely a bank holiday too. But it’s still worth checking your bank’s website for additional options and holiday hours when your needs exceed regular online banking and mobile app options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although banks have the authority to follow their own schedules, most will hold transactions on a bank holiday, posting them on the next business day.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday, banks will often be closed the Friday before. And if a holiday falls on a Sunday, banks will be closed the following Monday.
To find out if your bank is open on a specific holiday, you can check your bank’s official website, contact their customer service, or refer to any communication provided by the bank. Banks display their holiday hours on their physical branch doors or online banking platforms.
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Hello friends, my name is RK Singh, and I am an engineer. But by profession, I am a blogger. My main goal in starting this blog is to solve the difficulties people face in using online banking, bank branch codes, debit cards, and credit cards. I am not affiliated with any bank or company. I try my best to give the correct information to the people so that they can achieve their goals in the right way.
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