How to get 56 days off with your annual leave in 2025

Kate Ng
·Trending Lifestyle Reporter
·4-min read
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Start planning your holidays for 2025 now. (Getty Images)

Dreaming of all the places you’ll go in 2025? Now’s a good time to start planning your holidays and figuring out how to maximise your annual leave, but first you should know when the bank holidays will be this year so you can make the most of them.

There are eight bank holidays scheduled in England and Wales for 2025, nine in Scotland, and 10 in Northern Ireland. Coupled with the statutory minimum of 28 days annual leave that almost all those classed as workers in the UK are entitled to, that’s about 36 days of holiday to play around with - plus, think of the weekends!

In fact, if you play your cards right, you could be taking a whopping 56 days of holiday in 2025. That’s more than enough time to explore a new city, take a beach break, go on as many hikes as your heart desires, and more.

Taking time off work is important to give your body and mind a rest, and is especially beneficial for your mental health. So this year, prioritise your mental health and make full use of your holiday entitlement.

But first, when are the bank holidays in 2025? And what days of the week do they fall on?

  • 1 January - New Year’s Day (Wednesday)

  • 18 April - Good Friday (Friday)

  • 21 April - Easter Monday (Monday)

  • 5 May - Early May bank holiday (Monday)

  • 26 May - Spring bank holiday (Monday)

  • 25 August - Summer bank holiday (Monday)

  • 25 December - Christmas Day (Thursday)

  • 26 December - Boxing Day (Friday)

  • 1 January - New Year’s Day (Wednesday)

  • 2 January (Thursday)

  • 18 April - Good Friday (Friday)

  • 5 May - Early May bank holiday (Monday)

  • 26 May - Spring bank holiday (Monday)

  • 4 August - Summer bank holiday (Monday)

  • 1 December - St Andrew’s Day (substitute day, Monday)

  • 25 December - Christmas Day (Thursday)

  • 26 December - Boxing Day (Friday)

  • 1 January - New Year’s Day (Wednesday)

  • 17 March - St Patrick’s Day (Monday)

  • 18 April - Good Friday (Friday)

  • 21 April - Easter Monday (Monday)

  • 5 May - Early May bank holiday (Monday)

  • 26 May - Spring bank holiday (Monday)

  • 14 July - Battle of the Boyne, Orangemen’s Day (substitute day, Monday)

  • 25 August - Summer bank holiday (Monday)

  • 25 December - Christmas Day (Thursday)

  • 26 December - Boxing Day (Friday)

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Once you've booked your time off, you can start the fun part - organising your holidays. (Getty Images)

You could have up to 16 days off over the Easter period in total by booking just eight days off.

Book four days from 14 April to 17 April (Monday - Thursday). Then you will have Good Friday, the weekend, and Easter Monday off. You can book four more days from 22 April to 25 April (Tuesday - Friday), which takes you to yet another weekend to enjoy.

Including the weekend before the first day of annual leave you book, this will give you a total of 16 days off - three whole weekends in a row!

Take advantage of the Early May bank holiday on 5 May by booking four days from 6 May to 9 May (Tuesday to Friday). This gives you two weekends in a row for a total of nine days off.

You can also take advantage of the Spring bank holiday on 26 May. Book four days from 27 May to 30 May (Tuesday - Friday) to get another nine days off.

The Summer bank holiday on 25 August is the perfect time to go away and soak up some sun. Book four days from 26 to 29 August (Tuesday - Friday) to bag nine days off across two weekends.

The all-important Christmas holidays are when people will be looking to take the most time off, so make sure you get your days in early.

Book three days from 22 December to 24 December (Monday - Wednesday), after which you will get Christmas Day and Boxing Day off as bank holidays and then the weekend.

If you also book 29 December to 31 December (Monday - Wednesday), you’ll get 1 January off for New Year’s Day. Booking off 2 January (Friday) takes you to the weekend, giving you a full two weeks off work!

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