The Easter bank holiday weekend is almost upon us. If it feels like it has arrived a little earlier than usual, that is because it has this year.
Easter has shifted forward by a few days in 2026 and it will come even sooner next year.
This might just seem like a very minor change, but the reality is that for some businesses whose holiday years run from 31 March, it could have a real impact on your payroll and holiday calculations.
In most years, there are eight bank holidays. However, the 2026/27 financial year will effectively include 10 for those in this position.
This is because Good Friday and Easter Monday fall twice within the same financial year, once in April 2026 and again in March 2027.
Here is a full outline of the Bank Holidays in England and Wales for 2026/27:
What this means in practice
The Working Time Regulations 1998 set out a minimum entitlement of 5.6 weeks’ annual leave, typically 28 days for full-time employees.
This entitlement can include bank holidays, but it does not have to. That depends on how your employment contracts are structured.
When additional bank holidays fall within the same leave year, it can raise questions around entitlement, particularly if contracts are not explicit.
If you are unsure how these changes impact your payroll or employee entitlements, please speak to our team.
