Scottish bank holiday dates

Scottish bank holiday dates for 2024.


2024 Scottish bank holiday dates

2024 date Day of the week Holiday
1 January 2024 Monday New Year's Day
2 January 2024 Tuesday 2nd January 
29 March 2024 Friday Good Friday
6 May 2024 Monday Early May
27 May 2024 Monday Spring
5 August 2024 Monday Summer
2 December 2024 (substitute day) Monday St Andrew's Day
25 December 2024 Wednesday Christmas Day
26 December 2024 Thursday Boxing Day

Scottish bank holidays are the same across the whole of Scotland.

Public or local holidays, on the other hand, are determined by local councils and can differ between areas. The list of bank holidays below is not a comprehensive list of local holidays – check local council websites for local holidays.

If a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, a substitute weekday becomes a bank holiday (usually the following Monday).

His Majesty the King can appoint special days as bank holidays in any year.

Bank holiday entitlement

Not everyone is entitled to paid leave on bank or public holidays. If in doubt, check the position with your employer.

Banks and businesses

Banks in Scotland do not always close on Scottish bank holidays. For business reasons, Scottish banks tend to close on the same day as those in England and Wales.

There is no law requiring banks or any other businesses to close on bank holidays.

St Andrew's Day bank holiday

St Andrew's Day was declared a bank holiday by the Scottish Parliament in 2006, although banks are not required to close if they do not wish to. If 30 November occurs on a weekend, the bank holiday is moved to the following Monday.

Employers are not required by law to give employees a holiday on the St Andrew's Day bank holiday.

For further information please see the St. Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007.

Past bank holidays

Bank holiday

2019

2020

2021

2022 2023
New Year's Day (or in lieu of 1 Jan) 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 3 Jan* 3 Jan*
2 January (or in lieu of 2 Jan) 2 Jan 2 Jan 4 Jan* 4 Jan* 2 Jan
Good Friday 19 April 10 April 2 April 15 Apr 7 April
Early May Bank Holiday 6 May 8 May 3 May 2 May 1 May
Coronation Bank Holiday N/A N/A N/A N/A 8 May
Spring Bank Holiday 27 May 25 May 31 May 2 June 29 May
Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday N/A N/A N/A 3 June N/A
Summer Bank Holiday 5 Aug 3 Aug 2 Aug 1 Aug 7 Aug
State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen N/A N/A N/A 19 Sep N/A
St Andrew's Day 2 Dec 30 Nov 30 Nov 30 Nov  30 Nov
Christmas Day (or in lieu of 25 Dec) 25 Dec 25 Dec 27 Dec 26 Dec 25 Dec
Boxing Day (or in lieu of 26 Dec) 26 Dec 28 Dec* 28 Dec 27 Dec 26 Dec

* = substitute day

Contact

Email: protocolandhonours@gov.scot

Phone: 0300 244 4000 – Central Enquiry Unit

The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG

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