You've probably woken up, looked at the unusually quiet street, and felt that sudden jolt of panic. Is today bank holiday in UK? Honestly, it's the classic British dilemma. We’ve all been there—standing outside a locked Sainsbury’s Local at 10:00 AM because we forgot the rules of the calendar.
Today is Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
I’ll get straight to it: No, today is not a bank holiday in the UK. It is a standard working Tuesday. If you were hoping for a lie-in or a day of DIY, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. You’ve probably got emails to answer and a commute to face.
The most recent break we had was the New Year’s Day holiday on January 1. Since then, the country has been back in the grind. We are currently in that long, grey stretch of January where the next official day off feels like a lifetime away.
Why everyone gets confused about UK bank holidays
It’s actually kinda funny how much we struggle with this. Part of the reason you might be wondering if it's a holiday is that the UK has a weirdly fragmented system. Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland don't always share the same dates.
For example, if you were in Scotland on January 2nd, you would have had a bank holiday. Down in London? Nope. Back to work. This regional variation creates a lot of "wait, is it?" moments, especially for people working in remote teams across the different nations.
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Then there's the "substitute day" rule. This is the big one that trips people up. If a holiday like Christmas falls on a Saturday, the bank holiday moves to the following Monday. It's basically the government's way of making sure we don't "lose" a day off just because the calendar was being difficult. But it means that the "official" date on your wall calendar might not be the day the banks actually close.
When is the next bank holiday in the UK?
Since today isn't the day, you're likely looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.
For most of the UK (England and Wales), the next scheduled break isn’t until Friday, April 3, 2026, which is Good Friday. Yeah. That's a long wait. We’ve basically got to power through the rest of January, all of February, and the entirety of March before we get a long weekend.
Northern Ireland gets a bit of a reprieve because of St Patrick’s Day on March 17. Scotland gets their next one for Summer Bank Holiday in August, but they also have local holidays that vary by city. It’s a bit of a mess, really.
The 2026 Bank Holiday Schedule (England & Wales)
- Good Friday: Friday, April 3
- Easter Monday: Monday, April 6
- Early May Bank Holiday: Monday, May 4
- Spring Bank Holiday: Monday, May 25
- Summer Bank Holiday: Monday, August 31
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
- Boxing Day (Substitute): Monday, December 28
Notice that Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so we get that Monday the 28th off instead. It’s those little shifts that keep HR departments on their toes and keep the rest of us perpetually confused about whether we should be at our desks or in the pub.
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What actually closes on a bank holiday?
If you ever find yourself asking "is today bank holiday in UK?" on a future date, the easiest way to tell—besides checking your phone—is to look at the post.
Royal Mail doesn't deliver on bank holidays. It’s a dead giveaway. Most high-street banks will be shut, obviously. That’s where the name comes from, after all. Sir John Lubbock, a banker and politician, introduced the Bank Holidays Act in 1871 because he wanted to give bank clerks a break. Before that, they were working themselves to the bone.
However, "bank holiday" doesn't mean "everything closes." Not anymore.
Supermarkets usually stay open but operate on "Sunday hours." This usually means they open at 10:00 AM and shut by 4:00 PM. If you’re used to a 24-hour Tesco, a bank holiday will ruin your late-night snack plans. Smaller convenience stores like Co-op or your local corner shop usually stay open as normal to capitalize on everyone else being shut.
Public transport is another nightmare. National Rail and Transport for London (TfL) love a bank holiday for "essential engineering works." If you see a sea of replacement bus service signs, there’s a high chance it’s a holiday.
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The psychological "January Slump"
There’s a reason you’re searching for a holiday today. Mid-January is statistically one of the toughest times for morale in the UK. We’ve got "Blue Monday" coming up soon—usually the third Monday of the month—which is widely cited as the most depressing day of the year.
The weather is dismal. The festive lights are down. Your bank account is probably still recovering from December. When you feel this drained, your brain naturally starts looking for an excuse to stay in bed. You want it to be a bank holiday.
How to manage your time when there are no holidays
Since we’re stuck with regular working weeks until April, you’ve got to find ways to make it through without burning out.
First, check your remaining annual leave. A lot of companies run their holiday year from January to December. You probably have a fresh batch of days. Even if you don't go abroad, taking a random Wednesday off in February can be a massive mental health boost.
Second, watch out for "unofficial" holidays. In the UK, we love a reason to celebrate. While not bank holidays, events like the Six Nations (starting in February) or Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) provide little milestones to aim for.
Practical steps for your Tuesday
- Check your calendar sync: Ensure your Outlook or Google Calendar is specifically set to "UK Holidays." Sometimes they default to US holidays, which will leave you very confused when July 4th rolls around.
- Plan your April break now: Because the gap between January and April is so huge, flights and hotels for the Easter weekend get booked up fast. If you want to get away, booking this week is actually a smart move.
- Confirm your pay dates: Some employers pay early if a bank holiday falls near the end of the month. Since there isn't one this month, expect your pay on the usual date.
- Verify school terms: If you have kids, remember that bank holidays and "inset days" are different. Schools might be closed even when the banks are open.
Ultimately, today is a normal day. Get that coffee, get to work, and start counting down to April.