WHEN are the Scottish bank holidays, and are there more north of the Border than in England?
Read on to find out about Scotland's bank holidays.
Are bank holidays different in Scotland than in the rest of the UK?
Yes, bank holidays are different in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK. There are nine in Scotland, but only eight in England and Wales. In Northern Ireland, there are 10.
The power to set bank holidays is devolved to the Scottish Government.
In 2006, the Labour-run executive agreed to create a new bank holiday north of the Border on St Andrew’s Day, which is marked on November 30.
It became the country’s ninth bank holiday with the passing of the St Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007.
When are the bank holidays in Scotland?
Scotland has nine bank holidays. If these fall on a weekend, then a weekday will be substituted.
The nine Scottish bank holidays are (for 2024):
- January 1. New Year's Day
- January 2.
- March 29. Good Friday
- May 6. Early May
- May 27. Spring
- August 5. Summer
- December 2. Substitute day for St Andrew's Day, which falls on November 30
- December 25. Christmas Day
- December 26. Boxing Day
Can there be more bank holidays than that?
Yes. It is officially up to the monarch if there is an extra bank holiday in a given year. However, this is in practice agreed with the UK Government.
A special bank holiday was announced to mark the late Queen Elizabeth's platinum jubilee in 2022, for example.
Do we all get a day off on a bank holiday?
Not everyone gets a day off on a bank holiday. There is no statutory right to a day off work specifically on bank holidays.
However, most employers do give employees bank holidays off, although this may be in lieu. Arrangements for bank holidays will usually be set out in the employment contract.
Do banks in Scotland all close on Scottish bank holidays?
No, banks in Scotland do not all close on Scottish bank holidays. There is no law requiring them to shut on these days.
The Scottish Government has said that, for business reasons, many Scottish banks tend to close on the same day as those in England and Wales.
