In this article
Quick takeaways
- Easter bank holiday gives a long weekend in early April in 2026, perfect for rest, family time, or travel.
- Good Friday and Easter Monday are nationally recognised bank holidays in most parts of the UK and Ireland, though there are variations in Scotland.
- Planning ahead, stacking annual leave, and checking travel conditions can help you make the most of the long weekend.
The Easter bank holiday weekend is one of the most popular long weekends of the year.
Easter falls at the start of spring each year and gives employees a chance to take a short break with family and friends. When is Easter, and how can you make the most of your bank holidays? This guide explains what you need to know.
What is Easter?
Traditional and religious significance
Easter is a Christian holiday celebrated each spring. It symbolises victory over sin and death and the promise of eternal life. Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which Christians believe happened on the third day after his crucifixion, following Good Friday.
Cultural and modern celebrations
Easter has also become a cultural celebration of spring, rest, and renewal. Many people use the holiday for family and community gatherings. Easter egg hunts are a favourite family activity on Easter Sunday.
When is Easter in 2026?
Sunday, 5th April 2026
When is the Easter long weekend?
- Good Friday: 3rd April 2026
- Easter Saturday: 4th April 2026
- Easter Sunday: 5th April 2026
- Easter Monday: 6th April 2026
Why does the date change each year?
The dates for Easter change every year as it follows a 4th-century decision to celebrate on the first full moon after the spring equinox. These dates typically occur between late March and mid-April.
Are Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays in the UK and Ireland?
Most parts of the UK and Ireland treat Easter Monday as a bank holiday, but not everywhere does.
In England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland, Easter has two nationally observed bank holidays, Good Friday and Easter Monday, which sit at each side of the weekend, creating a four-day weekend.
In Scotland, Good Friday is a national holiday, but Easter Monday is not. However, most local councils still recognise Easter Monday and take the day off.
Why is Easter Monday not a national bank holiday in Scotland?
In Scotland, Easter can be a three-day weekend depending on your local council. Easter Monday is not a national bank holiday, as each council decides which events to recognise based on local traditions.
- Aberdeen City Council
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Clackmannanshire Council
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
- Dumfries and Galloway Council
- East Ayrshire Council
- East Dunbartonshire Council
- East Lothian Council
- East Renfrewshire Council
- Edinburgh Council
- Falkirk Council
- Glasgow City Council
- Highland Council
- Inverclyde Council
- North Ayrshire Council
- North Lanarkshire Council
- Orkney Islands Council
- Perth and Kinross Council
- Renfrewshire Council
- Shetland Islands Council
- South Ayrshire Council
- South Lanarkshire Council
- Stirling Council
- West Dunbartonshire Council
- West Lothian Council
- Aberdeenshire Council*
- Angus Council*
- Dundee City Council
- Fife Council
- Midlothian Council
- Moray Council*
- Scottish Borders Council
*Some exceptions may apply within council areas, check with local councils for more information
Who gets time off at Easter in the UK?
Full-time employees usually get bank holidays off, while part-time workers get a proportionate amount. If you are unsure, talk to your manager or HR and check your employment contract.
Whether you get bank holidays off depends on your contract and if bank holidays are part of your annual leave. Some businesses need staff to work during this time and may offer time off later or extra pay as compensation.
Working with a global or regional team?
With Leave Dates, spotting upcoming bank holidays in 200+ countries and regions is easy. Simply load the regions you need for your team and sync with the calendars and tools you already use.
How to plan travel at Easter in the UK
The long Easter weekend is a great chance to visit family, but it is also one of the busiest times for travel.
Booking flights and trains early can help you save money on Easter travel. Taking time off before or after the Easter weekend can also help you avoid the busiest travel days.
Travelling by air
The 2026 easter period is set to be a record-breaker, with Good Friday and Easter Sunday expected to experience peak traffic. Travellers going to the EU are being reminded to follow the new entry/exit systems in place.
Tip: If you are flying from Heathrow this Easter, use their mobile app to check queue times, book parking, and plan your trip. If you are travelling with children, Heathrow offers family security lanes in Terminals 2 and 3, plus Easter-themed activities for kids.
Travel by train
National Rail is carrying out engineering upgrades across the country during the 2026 Easter weekend. These works may cause delays, so if you are travelling by train, make sure to plan ahead.
Travelling by road
The RAC expects the busiest road traffic in four years, with about 21 million car trips over Easter weekend. These estimates consider recent fuel price increases. The AA predicts that Thursday will be the most congested day.
How to get more time off at Easter
Easter, like Christmas, is a great time to use your annual leave. You can get more days off in a row without using much of your leave allowance by leave stacking.
If you book a few extra days off around Easter, you can enjoy a much longer break.
Example scenario
Dave lives in Manchester, where Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays. He hasn’t used any annual leave entitlement this year, so he takes leave on the four days before Good Friday and the four days after Easter Monday, using only 8 days of annual leave.
This plan covers three weekends, with Easter in the middle, so Dave gets a relaxing 16 days off by using only 8 days of annual leave.
How to set leave limits during Easter and other peak periods
To make sure your business stays well-staffed, you can set leave limits in Leave Dates. You can apply these limits to the whole company or to specific departments.
Final thought
The Easter bank holiday weekend is the ideal opportunity to relax and spend time with loved ones, especially if you haven’t taken time off in a while.
Plan early to stack your annual leave and stay up to date on travel conditions so you can make the most of your days off over Easter.
Whether you’re enjoying family traditions, exploring a new destination or just taking a bit of time to yourself, the Easter break is a wonderful time to stop, refresh and celebrate the start of warmer months.
FAQs
Easter runs from Good Friday is on the 3rd April until Easter Monday Monday on 6th April for most parts of the UK, except some council areas in Scotland.
Good Friday is a national bank holiday across the UK and Ireland. Easter Monday is observed in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland, but not nationally in Scotland, though some councils recognise it, meaning that some workplaces and schools are open on Easter Monday.
Scotland allows local councils to decide whether to observe certain holidays, Easter Monday being one of them. These rules allow local communities to create bank holidays that are culturally significant to them. While most Scottish councils observe Easter Monday as a bank holiday, it is not considered a national bank holiday.
By booking annual leave on the days surrounding Good Friday and Easter Monday, your Easter break can be extended significantly.
