For those looking to maximise their time off in 2025, the key is to plan around the bank holidays scattered throughout the year. By combining these with your regular annual leave, you could potentially double your time off.
In fact, if you take full advantage of every long weekend, you could enjoy up to 58 work-free days in 2025 – assuming you don’t work weekends. This works out as nearly two months off work, reports Wales Online.
However, be sure to submit your holiday requests quickly, as your colleagues might soon have the same idea. Including today, below is every Bank Holiday in 2025:
- Wednesday, January 1: New Years Day
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Friday, April 18: Good Friday
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Monday, April 21: Easter Monday
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Monday, May 5: Early May Bank Holiday
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Monday, May 26: Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 26: Summer Bank Holiday
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Thursday, December 25: Christmas Day
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Friday, December 26: Boxing Day
In 2025, there will be eight bank holidays spread throughout the year
(Image: Getty)
January 2025 is probably too late for those who’ve already made their festive plans, but it’s worth remembering for next Christmas. By taking just two days of holiday, you can extend your break after the festive period by an extra five days.
- January 1: Bank Holiday
- January 2 & 3: Annual Leave (2 days)
- January 4 & 5: Weekend
This year, April 2025 offers shorter working weeks on either side of the long Easter weekend, along with the usual two bank holidays. Those who manage to get their holiday requests in early could take up to 16 days off using just eight days of their holiday allowance.
- April 12 & 13: Weekend
- April 14 to & 17: Annual Leave (4 days)
- April 18: Bank Holiday
- April 19 & 20: Weekend
- April 21: Bank Holiday
- April 22 to & 25: Annual Leave (4 days)
- April 26 & 27: Weekend
May offers two bank holidays, albeit at opposite ends of the calendar. You could use these bank holidays to extend your weekends into full weeks off, using less annual leave—effectively turning eight days into 16.
- May 3 & 4: Weekend
- May 5: Bank Holiday
- May 6 to 9: Annual Leave (4 days)
- May 10 & 11: Weekend
- May 24 & 25: Weekend
- May 26: Bank Holiday
- May 27 to 30: Annual Leave (4 days)
- May 31 & June 1: Weekend
Workers can be smart with their holiday allowance to boost their total time off
(Image: Getty Images/Westend61)
August 2025 sees the next batch of Bank Holidays, rounding off the summer with a long weekend. If you have remaining leave, you could transform four days into a nine-day break – ideal for a spontaneous summer trip.
- August 23 & 24: Weekend
- August 25: Bank Holiday
- August 26 to 29: Annual Leave (4 days)
- August 30 & 31: Weekend
December 2025 brings another set of Bank Holidays. It’s very important to submit your leave requests early if you’re planning time off during the festive season, as many will be fighting for that time off, too.
However, smart planning can maximise your holiday. You could adjust these plans if you’re short on leave or have colleagues to accommodate. Ideally, you could finish work on December 19 and enjoy 13 uninterrupted days off, costing only six days of annual leave.
Bank holidays in the UK first became a thing in 1871 to give workers regular breaks from their labour and to improve their health and well-being. Most years, we have the same set to look forward to – but the Government have added more for special national occasions like Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011 or the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden, Diamond, and Platinum Jubilees in 2002, 2012, and 2022 respectively.