New Year's Day 2026 — United Kingdom
1 January 2026 · Thursday
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What is New Year's Day?
New Year's Day is a bank holiday across England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Its calendar date is 1 January, but GOV.UK publishes a substitute weekday when 1 January falls at the weekend.
This page shows the observed bank-holiday date, rather than always displaying the nominal date. That distinction matters in years such as 2028, when 1 January is a Saturday and the published bank holiday is Monday 3 January.
Scotland also has a separate 2 January bank holiday. It is not merged into New Year's Day because the two dates can require two different substitute weekdays.
- Applies in:
- UK-wide
Dates in other years
| Year | Weekday | Date | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Wednesday | 1 January 2025 | Fixed |
| 2026 | Thursday | 1 January 2026 | Fixed |
| 2027 | Friday | 1 January 2027 | Fixed |
| 2028 | Monday | 3 January 2028 | Fixed |
Frequently asked questions
- When is New Year's Day 2026?
- In 2026, New Year's Day falls on 1 January 2026 (Thursday).
- Why can New Year's Day appear after 1 January?
- When 1 January falls at the weekend, GOV.UK lists a substitute weekday as the observed bank holiday.
- Does this New Year's Day entry cover the whole UK?
- Yes. It appears in the official lists for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Official sources
Verified by the Calendana editorial team · Last updated: 29 July 2026