Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Bank holidays

Bank holidays are holidays when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays which have been observed through custom and practice, such as Christmas Day. Find out about the bank and public holidays in Northern Ireland and employees' rights to pay or time off.

Bank and public holiday dates

The expected dates of bank and public holidays in Northern Ireland for 2023 and 2024 are listed as follows:

2023

  • Monday 25 December - Christmas Day 
  • Tuesday 26 December - Boxing Day 

2024

  • Monday 1 January - New Year's Day
  • Monday 18 March (substitute day) - St Patrick's Day 
  • Friday 29 March - Good Friday 
  • Monday 1 April - Easter Monday
  • Monday 6 May - Early May Bank Holiday
  • Monday 27 May - Spring Bank Holiday
  • Friday 12 July - Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day
  • Monday 26 August - Summer Bank Holiday 
  • Wednesday 25 December - Christmas Day
  • Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day 

    When the usual date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the 'substitute day' is normally the following Monday. 

    Special bank holidays

    There are laws that allow the dates of bank holidays to be changed, or other holidays to be declared, for example to celebrate special occasions.

    Time off for employees 

    You don't have a statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays, though many people get the day off work. Any right to time off or extra pay for working on a bank holiday depends on the terms of your contract of employment. 

    Find out more about your right to paid leave:

    • Holiday entitlements: the basics

    British Summer Time

    British Summer Time (BST) starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October, at 1.00 am Greenwich Mean Time (GMT):

    • in spring the clocks go forward, losing an hour - at 1.00 am GMT the UK moves to 2.00 am BST
    • in autumn the clocks go back, giving an extra hour - at 2.00 am BST the UK moves to 1.00 am GMT

    This year the summer time periods begin and end on the following dates:

    • clocks go forward - 26 March
    • clocks go back - 29 October

    More useful links

    • DVA - bank and public holidays
    • Discover Northern Ireland
    • Journey planner
    • School terms and school closures
    • Emergency healthcare
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Living in Northern Ireland

    • About Northern Ireland
    • Asylum seekers and refugees - help and advice
    • Bank holidays
    • British Nationals (Overseas) Hong Kong residents
    • Census
    • Elections
    • Emergencies and major incidents
    • Find a job in Republic of Ireland
    • Moving back to Northern Ireland from abroad
    • Public appointments
    • Staying in Northern Ireland if you’re an EU citizen
    • Ukraine crisis
    • Working in Northern Ireland

    Translation help

    How to translate this page

    Help improve this page - send your feedback

    What do you want to do?
    Report a problem
    Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

    Messages

    You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

    Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

    What is your question about?

    What to do next

    Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

    If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

    Carer's Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912
    Email     dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

    Call 0800 587 2750 
    Email     customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

    Disability Living Allowance

    Call 0800 587 0912 
    Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

    Employment and Support Allowance

    Call 0800 587 1377

    Jobseeker’s Allowance

    Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

    Personal Independence Payment

    Call 0800 587 0932

    If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

    For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

    For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

    For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

    If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

    • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
    • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

    For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

    Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

    For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

    For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

    For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

    For queries about:

    • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
      contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
       
    • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
      contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

    If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

    For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

     

    For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

    For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

    If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

    If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

    For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

    For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

    For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

    If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

    Related sites

    • gov.uk
    • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

    Links to supporting information

    • Accessibility statement
    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • RSS