Summer Bank Holiday 2026 — How Many Days Until Summer Bank Holiday?
About Summer Bank Holiday
The Summer Bank Holiday falls on the last Monday of August in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland — and on the first Monday of August in Scotland. It is the last bank holiday before Christmas for workers in these nations, and marks the end of the main British summer holiday season.
The August bank holiday was established under the Bank Holidays Act 1871 — one of the first pieces of legislation to create statutory holidays for bank workers, which quickly extended to other workers. When introduced, the August bank holiday fell on the first Monday of August in England and Wales; it was moved to the last Monday of August in 1965, largely to reduce congestion on roads and at holiday destinations by spreading the load.
The Summer Bank Holiday coincides with the last week of school summer holidays in most of England and Wales, and is associated with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (the world's largest arts festival, which runs through August), Notting Hill Carnival in London (Europe's largest street festival, held on the bank holiday weekend), and typically the final weekend of the English cricket summer.
- The Summer Bank Holiday is the last UK bank holiday before Christmas
- England, Wales, and Northern Ireland observe it on the last Monday of August; Scotland on the first Monday
- Notting Hill Carnival — Europe's largest street festival — is held on the August bank holiday weekend
- The August bank holiday was one of the original four bank holidays created in 1871
- It was moved from the first to the last Monday of August in 1965