Countdown to the spring bank holiday
A live countdown to the spring bank holiday, the last Monday of May, across the UK.
Good to know
The spring bank holiday falls on the last Monday of May and replaced the old Whit Monday holiday in 1971. It often coincides with the school half-term break.
The countdown targets midnight at the start of the Monday in UK time, when the UK is on British Summer Time.
Because the holiday lands in late May, it is traditionally the start of the summer season for seaside towns, theme parks and campsites, and demand for accommodation and travel peaks that weekend.
In 2022 the holiday was moved to Thursday 2 June, to create a four-day weekend for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. The usual date is the last Monday of May, and dates for the next few years are listed below.
Dates for the next few years
- 2026: Monday, 25 May 2026
- 2027: Monday, 31 May 2027
- 2028: Monday, 29 May 2028
- 2029: Monday, 28 May 2029
- 2030: Monday, 27 May 2030
Frequently asked questions
When is the spring bank holiday?
On the last Monday of May. The exact dates for the next five years are listed on this page.
Is the spring bank holiday the same as the late May bank holiday?
Yes. It is also called the late May bank holiday and is the same day in all parts of the UK.
Clock change guides
- What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)? A Plain-English GuideWhat daylight saving time is, how it works in the UK, Europe and the US, why it exists, its history, who uses it and the argument over scrapping it.
- Why Do the Clocks Go Back in October? The Real ReasonThe clocks go back in autumn to return the UK to GMT, so winter mornings are lighter. The history, the rule, what time it happens and what changes for you.
- When Do the Clocks Go Forward Again After Going Back?When the UK clocks go forward again after the autumn change, how long the UK stays on GMT, when evenings get lighter and how to remember to reset your clocks.