Substitute day
Boxing Day on a Tuesday
Because Christmas falls at the weekend this year, [Company] is closed on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December, the two substitute bank holidays. We are back at our desks on Wednesday 29 December from 09:00.
England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland
UK bank holidays by nation, for your phone greetings
The UK has three sets of bank holidays. A firm with offices in Glasgow and Belfast, or customers across the four nations, needs a greeting that names the right closure for each line. The dates below come from GOV.UK.
Still to come in 2026
| Date | Bank holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 30 November 2026 | St Andrew’s Day | Scotland |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day | All nations |
| Monday 28 December 2026 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | All nations |
Bank holidays 2027
| Date | Bank holiday | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January | New Year’s Day | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monday 4 January | 2nd January (substitute day) | – | Yes | – |
| Wednesday 17 March | St Patrick’s Day | – | – | Yes |
| Friday 26 March | Good Friday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monday 29 March | Easter Monday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Monday 3 May | Early May bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monday 31 May | Spring bank holiday | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monday 12 July | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) | – | – | Yes |
| Monday 2 August | Summer bank holiday | – | Yes | – |
| Monday 30 August | Summer bank holiday | Yes | – | Yes |
| Tuesday 30 November | St Andrew’s Day | – | Yes | – |
| Monday 27 December | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tuesday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
In 2027 Christmas Day falls on a Saturday and Boxing Day on a Sunday, so the bank holidays move to Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December. Source: GOV.UK bank holidays.
What this means for your greetings
01
Scotland has its own summer
The Scottish summer bank holiday is the first Monday in August; in England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is the last. A UK-wide greeting saying “closed for the August bank holiday” is wrong for half your callers on one of the two days.
02
Easter Monday is not Scottish
Scottish offices are open on Easter Monday. If one switchboard covers all sites, say which offices are closed.
03
Northern Ireland has two extra days
St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne. In 2027 the Twelfth falls on a Monday, giving a long weekend for Northern Irish teams.
04
Substitute days catch people out
When a holiday lands on a weekend, the next weekday becomes the bank holiday. Write the actual closure date in the greeting, not the calendar date of the festival.
Scripts for firms in more than one nation
Scotland only
Early August
Today is the summer bank holiday in Scotland, so the [Company] offices in [Scottish city] are closed. Our [English city] office is working as normal; press one to be put through there.
England and Wales only
Easter Monday
You've reached [Company]. Our offices in England and Wales are closed for Easter Monday. The Edinburgh team is in today; stay on the line to speak to them.
Northern Ireland
The Twelfth
Thanks for calling [Company] in [Town]. We're closed on Monday 12 July and back on Tuesday 13 July at 09:00. Please leave a message after the tone.
All nations
Christmas 2027
Every [Company] office, from [City 1] to [City 2], is closed over Christmas from Saturday 25 December. We reopen on Wednesday 29 December at 09:00. Season's greetings from the whole team.
Scotland
New Year
Happy new year from [Company]. Our Scottish offices reopen on Tuesday 5 January at 09:00. Leave a message and we'll call you back that day.
Source
Questions
Does Wales have its own bank holidays?
No. GOV.UK lists England and Wales together, with the same eight bank holidays.
Can the dates change?
Occasionally a one-off bank holiday is added. In 2026, for example, GOV.UK lists an extra bank holiday in Scotland on Monday 15 June. Check the official list when you plan the year’s greetings.
When should the bank holiday greeting go on?
The evening before, or on a schedule in your phone system. Switch back first thing on the morning you reopen.