By booking leave strategically you could get more than two weeks off this Easter
By booking leave strategically you could get more than two weeks off this Easter
With the end of January now almost in sight, many people will be looking forward to some warmer temperatures and much-deserved time away from their jobs. Many workers see their batch of annual leave refresh at the start of the calendar year, meaning they have a new allowance to use for 2026.
There are also some clever ways to maximise the leave you get. Those who typically don’t work weekends or bank holidays can expect a number of long weekends this year, with eight bank holidays scheduled for England and Wales during this period.
The next bank holiday falls on Friday, April 3 (Good Friday). Easter Sunday occurs on April 5 this year, which means Monday, April 6 (Easter Monday) is also a bank holiday. This means a four-day weekend for many people across the country.
By being strategic with booking leave, you can extend this break to an impressive 16 days off work, just by taking eight days off. You’ll need to book off Monday and Tuesday, March 30 and 31, plus Wednesday and Thursday, April 1 and 2, along with Tuesday through Friday, April 7-10, and you’ll be away from work from Friday, March 27 until Monday April 13.
Additional long weekends will take place in May, with bank holidays on the first Monday (May 4) and final Monday (May 25), alongside August’s summer bank holiday on Monday August 31.
Bank holidays for England and Wales in 2026
- Thursday, January 1 – New Year’s Day
- Friday, April 3 – Good Friday
- Monday, April 6 – Easter Monday
- Monday, May 4 – Early May Bank Holiday
- Monday, May 25 – Spring Bank Holiday
- Monday, August 31 – Summer Bank Holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
- bank holiday
- Easter
