11 hours Ago By [email protected] (Rob Currell)
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More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice The Government has announced that there will be eight more bank holidays to enjoy this year – although the exact number will depend on your location. In a social media update, the Government released what it described as the complete list of remaining bank holidays for 2025. The next one is the early May bank holiday on Monday, May 5, which is marked across the UK.
This is followed by the spring bank holiday on Monday, May 26 — also observed nationwide. The subsequent bank holiday will only be recognised in Northern Ireland, taking place on July 14 to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne. Known as the largest military confrontation on Irish soil, this inconclusive battle was waged between the forces of the ousted King James II and King William III.
Scotland's next bank holiday falls on August 4, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland will observe their summer bank holiday on August 25. The final two bank holidays are December 1 in Scotland, honouring St Andrew's Day, and December 25, Christmas Day, which is a bank holiday throughout the UK, reports the Express . There had been appeals for an additional bank holiday on May 8 to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, which signifies the day Britain and its allies accepted Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender during the Second World War.
Despite these requests, a representative for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed in November that there were no plans to introduce an extra bank holiday. There are still several bank holidays before the end of 2025 (Image: Liverpool Echo) It was said that the May Day bank holiday would be utilised for commemorative events, and the Government is committed to marking the anniversary. The term 'bank holiday' originates from the days when banks were permitted to close, leading other businesses to do the same, which resulted in bank holidays being formally recognised in law through an Act of Parliament in 1871.
The UK has one of the lowest numbers of public holidays globally. In contrast, Spain boasts the highest number in Europe, with up to 14 per year. Most of Spain's public holidays are due to Catholicism, such as saints' days.
This is similar in Colombia, which has 18 public holidays per year, again tied to the Catholic calendar. In the UK, the patron saints' days are celebrated differently across the four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The feast days for Northern Ireland and Scotland's patron saints – Saint Patrick and Saint Andrew respectively – are bank holidays.
However, neither the feast days of England's Saint George nor Wales's Saint David are bank holidays, but this doesn't prevent people from celebrating them. Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
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