When are bank holidays in 2024? Why does Scotland have two New Year bank holidays?

Those north of the border are enjoying the best way that New Year's Day can fall in a year - on a Monday - so anyone lucky enough not to have been working this weekend is in the middle of four days off.

The Scots have a bank holiday on January 2, as well as January 1. And it's not just because - as rather tedious and stereotyping wags would have it - that they need an extra day off to shake the Hogmanay hangover; in fact, its roots go back to Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate in the 17th century... and further.

Where do Hogmanay traditions come from?

As with many modern UK traditions, various ancient customs are incorporated into Hogmanay. The Gaelic Samhain festival for the solstice and the Viking and pagan Yule festival are all ingredients in our Christmas and New Year traditions, as is the Romans' Saturnalia. The origins of the word Hogmanay are disputed, though, with some believing it comes from a northern French dialect and some thinking it may derive from corruptions of Scottish phrases.

But what is certain, however, is that Hogmanay developed into a three-day feast, banishing the darkness with large fires and eating food from the autumn harvest. As with many cultures' traditions for this time of year, it marks the days beginning to lengthen and the road back to spring, sun, and renewal.

Hogmanay's importance grew in the Civil War era and under the rule of Oliver Cromwell. The feeling among many protestants was that Christmas had become too debauched, and that a month or prayer was wanted instead of eating and drinking. A law was passed to ban Christmas in 1642, before the Civil War and when King Charles - who signed it off - was still on the throne. This ban did fit in with Cromwell's views as he believed that the Church of England was too similar to the Catholic Church - and he despised Catholicism's perceived decadence and corruption. Presbyterians in Scotland had banned Christmas in 1640, for similar reasons. However, under Cromwell's protectorate Parliament went further and doubled down by banning Christmas, Easter and Whitsun celebrations, including in people's own homes.

While England's seasonal focus was Christmas, the Scots were to a degree able to point to Hogmanay as being separate to Christmas and continue celebrating it - almost as a loophole. The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 saw the Christmas ban repealed, and it was also scrapped in Scotland 26 years later. But Hogmanay for many in Scotland kept its primacy over Christmas Day for years.

However, despite its enduring popularity, the January 2 bank holiday was only introduced in 1973.

When were bank holidays introduced?

The concept of bank holidays was introduced by the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which designated four holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. These were Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, Boxing Day, and Whit Monday (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and New Year's Day, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August, and Christmas Day (Scotland). In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Christmas Day and Good Friday were designated traditional days of rest and Christian worship, and so treated like Sundays, and were not included in the Act.

The 1871 Act was repealed 100 years later and its provisions incorporated into the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which is now the legal basis for bank holidays. As outlined by the TUC, in 1973 January 2 became an additional bank holiday in Scotland under the 1971 Act, and in 1974 New Year's Day became a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Boxing Day became an additional bank holiday in Scotland. As per the 1871 Act, New Year's Day was already a Scottish bank holiday. In total the English and Welsh have eight bank holidays a year, the Scottish have nine and the Northern Irish have 10.

When are bank holidays in 2024?

England and Wales

• 1 January - Monday, New Year’s Day
• 29 March - Friday, Good Friday
• 1 April - Monday, Easter Monday
• 6 May - Monday, early May bank holiday
• 27 May - Monday, spring bank holiday
• 26 August - Monday, summer bank holiday
• 25 December - Wednesday, Christmas Day
• 26 December - Thursday, Boxing Day

Scotland

• 1 January - Monday, New Year’s Day
• 2 January, Tuesday, 2nd January
• 29 March - Friday, Good Friday
• 6 May - Monday, early May bank holiday
• 27 May - Monday, spring bank holiday
• 5 August - Monday, summer bank holiday
• 2 December - Monday, St Andrew’s Day (substitute day)
• 25 December - Wednesday, Christmas Day
• 26 December - Thursday, Boxing Day

Northern Ireland

• 1 January - Monday, New Year’s Day
• 18 March - Monday, St Patrick’s Day (substitute day)
• 29 March - Friday, Good Friday
• 1 April - Monday, Easter Monday
• 6 May - Monday, early May bank holiday
• 27 May - Monday, spring bank holiday
• 12 July - Friday, Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
• 26 August - Monday, summer bank holiday
• 25 December - Wednesday, Christmas Day
• 26 December - Thursday, Boxing Day