Bank holiday hacks 2027: book 19 days of annual leave and get 47 days off.
That’s the whole trick. Put your Leave days next to the 2027 Bank holidays and a few of them turn into 5 Breaks of a week or more. Book the same leave at random and you get a lot less.
Every date is below, Bank holiday by Bank holiday, ready to copy into a leave request. Want it for your own allowance and work days? Plan your 2027 leave →
England & Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different Bank holidays.
The 2027 cheat sheet
- Easter: book 22–25 Mar → 10 days off (20–29 Mar 2027)
- Early May: book 4–7 May → 9 days off (1–9 May 2027)
- Spring: book 1–4 Jun → 9 days off (29 May – 6 Jun 2027)
- Summer: book 31 Aug–3 Sep → 9 days off (28 Aug – 5 Sep 2027)
- Christmas: book 29–31 Dec → 10 days off (25 Dec 2027 – 3 Jan 2028)
All five: 19 Leave days for 47 days off, with 6 of your 25 days still spare.
Why it works
Every Bank holiday sits next to a weekend, so it’s already a free run of days off. Each Leave day you add costs one day of allowance, but it joins that run to the next weekend. Fill the gap between two weekends and a few Leave days become nine days off or more.
Easter: 10 days off for 4 Leave days
Good Friday and Easter Monday give you four days off in a row before you book a thing: Fri 26 Mar (Good Friday) and Mon 29 Mar (Easter Monday).
Book 22–25 Mar and you get 10 days off in a row, 20–29 Mar 2027.
Every way to book Easter 2027 →
Early May: 9 days off for 4 Leave days
The Bank holiday is Mon 3 May. Book 4–7 May and you’re off for 9 days, 1–9 May 2027.
Every way to book Early May 2027 →
Spring: 9 days off for 4 Leave days
The Bank holiday is Mon 31 May. Book 1–4 Jun for 9 days off, 29 May – 6 Jun 2027.
Many schools in England and Wales take half-term that week. Got children? Book this one first.
Every way to book Spring 2027 →
Summer: 9 days off for 4 Leave days
The last Bank holiday before Christmas is Mon 30 Aug. Book 31 Aug–3 Sep for 9 days off, 28 Aug – 5 Sep 2027.
Every way to book Summer 2027 →
Christmas: 10 days off for just 3 Leave days
When Christmas lands on a weekend, the Bank holidays move to the next weekdays. In 2027 they’re Mon 27 Dec (Christmas Day), Tue 28 Dec (Boxing Day) and Mon 3 Jan 2028 (New Year’s Day).
Book 29–31 Dec and you’re off from 25 Dec 2027 – 3 Jan 2028.
Does your work close over Christmas? Those days may already come out of your allowance, so check before you book.
Every way to book Christmas 2027 →
Only got one day to spare?
Book 25 Mar. That one Leave day gets you 5 days off, 25–29 Mar 2027.
Check it against your allowance →
Free Breaks: no leave needed
These cost nothing: 26–29 Mar 2027 (4 days off) and 25–28 Dec 2027 (4 days off). Put them in the diary now.
Get your request in first
Everyone you work with has the same Bank holidays as you, and the first request in usually wins. Book the big ones as soon as your leave year opens.
Plan your 2027 leave in one go →
Or see every 2027 Break ranked, or read five more annual leave hacks.
Questions people ask
What are bank holiday hacks?
Bank holiday hacks are Leave stacking: you book Leave days next to weekends and Bank holidays so they join into one long Break. In 2027, 19 Leave days around the England and Wales Bank holidays give you 47 days off.
How many Bank holidays are there in 2027?
England and Wales have 8 Bank holidays in 2027. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different ones.
When are the Easter 2027 Bank holidays?
In England and Wales they're Fri 26 Mar (Good Friday) and Mon 29 Mar (Easter Monday). Book 22–25 Mar and you get 10 days off in a row, 20–29 Mar 2027.
How do I get the most days off in 2027?
Book 19 Leave days around the England and Wales Bank holidays and you get 47 days off, in 5 Breaks of a week or more. That leaves 6 of a 25-day allowance spare.
What's the best single day to book off in 2027?
Book 25 Mar. That one Leave day gets you 5 days off in a row, 25–29 Mar 2027.
Do these dates work in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. They're for England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different Bank holidays, so their best dates differ.