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Bank holidays

In the UK, bank holidays or public holidays are days that the majority of people have off work and that is generally observed as a holiday. There is no statutory entitlement to leave or paid leave on public holidays. This means that employees’ entitlement to paid time off for bank holidays depends on the wording of contracts of employment.

Some employers will require employees to take bank holidays as part of their annual leave, while others will give employees time off on bank holidays in addition to their annual leave entitlement. Difficult areas for employers include how to treat extra bank holidays (for example, for some royal events) and bank holidays for part-time workers.

Personnel Today maintains a guide for employers on bank holidays, which includes guidance on pay, the right to time off and what to do when there are additional bank holidays.


    • Absence
    • Brexit
    • Age discrimination

    Top 10 HR questions April 2023: Bank holiday sickness

    by Brightmine 3 May 2023
    by Brightmine 3 May 2023

    What is the entitlement for employees who are off sick on a bank holiday? See this and other top HR questions for April 2023.

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Flexible working

    Employees prefer flexible bank holiday time off

    by Adam McCulloch 28 Apr 2023
    by Adam McCulloch 28 Apr 2023

    As the UK enters a month with three bank holidays, nearly three-quarters of UK workers are in favour of flexible bank holidays, new research has shown.

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Holidays and holiday pay

    EE offers days off in exchange for bank holiday working

    by Ashleigh Webber 1 Feb 2023
    by Ashleigh Webber 1 Feb 2023

    EE has a new bank holiday working policy, where employees who work the five non-festive bank holidays will be entitled to five additional days off.

    • National living wage
    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News

    Employment law 2023: six key tasks for HR

    by Susie Munro 17 Jan 2023
    by Susie Munro 17 Jan 2023

    While the Employment Bill, first promised by the government in 2019, has not materialised, some changes to employment law do...

    • Employment law
    • Bank holidays
    • France

    Boozy parties? Merci, non: French court backs the right to be boring

    by Adam McCulloch 16 Dec 2022
    by Adam McCulloch 16 Dec 2022

    A court of appeal in France gives legal backing to party pooping. Meanwhile, in the UK, people are slowly waking up to the realisation they can take some time off later this month.

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Economics, government & business

    Coronation bank holiday for 8 May confirmed

    by Jo Faragher 7 Nov 2022
    by Jo Faragher 7 Nov 2022

    There will be a bank holiday on Monday 8 May 2023 in honour of the coronation of King Charles III, the government has confirmed.

    • IR35
    • Absence
    • Enhanced pay

    Top 10 HR questions October 2022: disciplinary witness statements

    by Brightmine 1 Nov 2022
    by Brightmine 1 Nov 2022

    Last month's most popular FAQs include questions on witness statements, bank holidays and sickness absence.

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Eyecare

    Top 10 HR questions September 2022: additional bank holidays

    by Brightmine 1 Oct 2022
    by Brightmine 1 Oct 2022

    Last month's most popular HR questions focused on the impact of an extra bank holiday for the Queen's state funeral.

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Retail

    Retailers to give staff time off for Queen’s funeral

    by Ashleigh Webber 13 Sep 2022
    by Ashleigh Webber 13 Sep 2022

    Sainsbury's, John Lewis Partnership and Primark have announced they will be closed on Monday 19 September, the day of the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

    • Employee engagement
    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News

    Queen Elizabeth II national mourning: Five HR issues

    by Jo Faragher 12 Sep 2022
    by Jo Faragher 12 Sep 2022

    National mourning period: What HR issues will employers face as workers request time off at short notice or flexibility with hours?

    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News
    • Employment contracts

    State funeral will be a national bank holiday

    by Jo Faragher 12 Sep 2022
    by Jo Faragher 12 Sep 2022

    King Charles III confirms that the Queen's state funeral, on 19 September, will be a public holiday.

    • Bank holidays
    • Bereavement
    • Latest News

    Death of Queen Elizabeth II: National mourning begins

    by Jo Faragher 9 Sep 2022
    by Jo Faragher 9 Sep 2022

    The UK has begun a period of national mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II yesterday (8 September).
    This...

    • Bank holidays
    • Discipline
    • Industrial action / strikes

    Top 10 HR questions August 2022: holiday pay and strikes

    by Brightmine 1 Sep 2022
    by Brightmine 1 Sep 2022

    Employment law editors collate the most pertinent HR questions of the past month so HR professionals can keep track of the most pressing HR issues.

    • Absence
    • Bank holidays
    • Latest News

    Top 10 HR questions June 2022: Former employees

    by Brightmine 1 Jul 2022
    by Brightmine 1 Jul 2022

    XpertHR's most frequent HR questions in June 2022 involved dealing with ex-employees, bank holidays and unauthorised absence.

    • Right to work
    • Absence
    • Coronavirus

    Top 10 HR questions May 2022: Bank holidays

    by Brightmine 1 Jun 2022
    by Brightmine 1 Jun 2022

    With the Platinum Jubilee long weekend, last month's most-asked questions include queries about bank holidays, annual leave, sickness, and more...

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