About the Summer bank holiday in the United Kingdom
The Summer bank holiday is regional: it falls on the last Monday in August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, but on the first Monday in August in Scotland. The dates shown on this United Kingdom page follow the England-and-Wales national calendar.
Two August date rules
The Banking and Financial Dealings Act lists the last Monday in August for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, while Scotland uses the first Monday in August. GOV.UK therefore publishes the holiday inside three separate national calendar sections.
This is one holiday name with two timing rules, not a weekend-substitute issue. Both dates are Mondays. People coordinating work or travel across UK nations should check which regional calendar applies rather than relying only on the country name.
What the page’s date represents
The main GB dataset used by this site follows the England-and-Wales set, so the dates table shows the last Monday in August. That date also matches Northern Ireland’s standard rule. Scotland’s official date is earlier and must be checked in the Scottish calendar.
The last-Monday rule places the England-and-Wales holiday between 25 and 31 August. The Scottish first-Monday rule places it between 1 and 7 August. Verified annual dates are preferable when arranging cross-border deadlines or bookings.
Planning around the August holiday
Transport, events, shops and visitor attractions can run bank-holiday schedules, but no uniform opening rule applies. The different Scottish date means a service can be operating normally in one UK nation while following a holiday schedule in another.
Employment contracts determine whether a worker receives the day off or bank-holiday pay. Confirm the applicable workplace calendar, transport information and local opening times, especially when an itinerary crosses between Scotland and England or Wales.
Common questions about the Summer bank holiday
When is the Summer bank holiday in England and Wales?
It is the last Monday in August.
Does Scotland use the same Summer bank holiday date?
No. Scotland uses the first Monday in August, while England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the last Monday.