How Many Days Until Spring Bank Holiday 2027?

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When is Spring Bank Holiday 2027?

Spring Bank Holiday 2027 falls on Monday, May 31, 2027.

About Spring Bank Holiday

The Spring Bank Holiday is a UK public holiday observed on the last Monday of May each year. It was introduced in 1971 as a fixed pattern, replacing the older Whit Monday holiday. All four nations of the UK observe it on the same date. The holiday usually coincides with school half-term, which makes the surrounding week a peak time for family travel and short breaks. It has occasionally been shifted to mark a national event. The most recent example was 2022, when it moved to form part of an extended four-day weekend for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The same calendar date, the last Monday of May, is also when the United States observes Memorial Day.

The Spring Bank Holiday replaced Whit Monday, the Christian feast of the Monday after Pentecost, which had been a UK bank holiday since 1871. Whit Monday's date moved with Easter, so the new Spring Bank Holiday was fixed to the last Monday of May in 1971 to give businesses and travellers a predictable date. The holiday has still been moved several times for major royal occasions, including the Silver Jubilee in 1977, the Golden Jubilee in 2002, the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the Platinum Jubilee in 2022. On each of those occasions it was paired with an extra bank holiday to make a four-day weekend. The Spring Bank Holiday weekend is also when some of the UK's largest outdoor events take place, among them the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts in Wales, which draws tens of thousands of visitors.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Spring Bank Holiday?

The Spring Bank Holiday falls on the last Monday of May each year in the United Kingdom, so the date moves between May 25 and May 31. Placing it on a Monday creates a long weekend. It is the second of the UK's two May bank holidays, the first being the Early May Bank Holiday at the start of the month. The Spring Bank Holiday usually lines up with school half-term, so the date is worth checking for any given year.

What was Whit Monday?

Whit Monday is the day after Whitsun, or Pentecost, a Christian feast that falls 50 days after Easter. It was one of the original UK bank holidays created in 1871. Because Pentecost depends on Easter, Whit Monday's date moved around the calendar from year to year. In 1971 the UK replaced it as a bank holiday with the Spring Bank Holiday, fixed to the last Monday of May, to give a steady date. Whitsun is still observed in churches, but the bank holiday is no longer tied to it.

Why does the Spring Bank Holiday sometimes move?

The Spring Bank Holiday normally falls on the last Monday of May, but the government can move it for a major national event. It has been shifted for several royal jubilees, including in 1977, 2002, 2012 and 2022. On those occasions the holiday was moved and combined with an extra bank holiday to produce a four-day weekend. These changes need a government decision and are made only for significant occasions, so in most years the holiday stays on its usual date.

Is the Spring Bank Holiday the same as Memorial Day?

The Spring Bank Holiday and the American Memorial Day usually fall on the same day, the last Monday of May, but they are entirely separate holidays. The Spring Bank Holiday is a UK public holiday with no particular theme, created in 1971 to replace Whit Monday. Memorial Day is a US federal holiday that honours service members who died in the armed forces. They share a date by coincidence of calendar rules, not because of any shared history or meaning.

Why does the Spring Bank Holiday line up with school half-term?

In England and Wales, schools usually take a week-long half-term break in late May, and the Spring Bank Holiday on the last Monday of the month sits within or beside that week. The overlap is convenient, since it lets families take a longer break together. It also makes the period one of the busiest of the year for UK domestic tourism, with coastal towns, holiday parks and attractions all in heavy demand. Exact school dates vary by area, so the alignment is not always perfect.