The May bank holidays in 2027 are Monday 3 May (early May) and Monday 31 May (spring). That is 195 days to the early May bank holiday. They are bank holidays in the whole of the UK, so the days are the same in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.
| Bank holiday | Date 2027 | Week |
|---|---|---|
| Early May bank holiday | 18 | |
| Spring bank holiday | 22 |
Long weekends: Sat 1 – Mon 3 May and Sat 29 – Mon 31 May. Take Tuesday 4 May – Friday 7 May off after the early May bank holiday (4 days of leave) and you get 9 days off in a row, Saturday 1 May to Sunday 9 May. Take Tuesday 1 June – Friday 4 June off after the spring bank holiday (4 days of leave) and you get 9 days off in a row, Saturday 29 May to Sunday 6 June. See the May 2027 calendar with week numbers.
Why are there two bank holidays in May?
The early May bank holiday is the first Monday in May, and the spring bank holiday the last Monday. Both have been bank holidays in the whole of the UK since 1978.
The spring bank holiday replaced Whit Monday, which moved with Easter and could fall in May or June. The last Monday in May was tried from 1965 to 1970 and became law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland with the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. The early May bank holiday was added there in 1978, and is made by royal proclamation each year. Scotland has it the other way round: the first Monday in May has been a Scottish bank holiday since the Bank Holidays Act 1871, and the spring bank holiday is proclaimed.
Now and then a May bank holiday moves, or an extra one is added, for a national occasion:
- 1977: Spring bank holiday moved from Monday 30 May to Monday 6 June for the Silver Jubilee. Extra bank holiday Tuesday 7 June: Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 1995: Early May bank holiday moved from Monday 1 May to Monday 8 May for the 50th anniversary of VE Day.
- 2002: Spring bank holiday moved from Monday 27 May to Tuesday 4 June for the Golden Jubilee. Extra bank holiday Monday 3 June: Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 2012: Spring bank holiday moved from Monday 28 May to Monday 4 June for the Diamond Jubilee. Extra bank holiday Tuesday 5 June: Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 2020: Early May bank holiday moved from Monday 4 May to Friday 8 May for the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
- 2022: Spring bank holiday moved from Monday 30 May to Thursday 2 June for the Platinum Jubilee. Extra bank holiday Friday 3 June: Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
- 2023: Extra bank holiday Monday 8 May: Coronation of King Charles III.
In many parts of England the spring half term is the week of the spring bank holiday, but each council or school sets its own dates. Many Scottish towns also have a local spring holiday; it is set by the council and is not a bank holiday. The other bank holidays are on UK bank holidays.
May bank holidays through the years, 1950–2050
The years when a May bank holiday moved, or an extra one was added, are listed under why there are two bank holidays in May. Source: GOV.UK, UK bank holidays, the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 and the royal proclamations.