Holidays — there never seem to be quite enough of them. If you’re looking for the best days to book off in 2026 to get the most out of them, you’ve come to the right place. As you probably already know, it’s worth being smart about your annual leave and taking it strategically around bank holidays in order to extend your time off. Suddenly, a long weekend can turn into a full week or even two away from the office, which is more than long enough to take a long trip, unwind and forget about it all.
Here are the best ways to maximise your annual leave (assuming you get 28 days off) using the UK bank holidays 2026 and get a total of 56 days off work next year.
When are the UK bank holidays in 2026?
First of all, here are the bank holidays next year:
When should I book my annual leave in 2026?
These are the best days to book off in 2026:
January
Days off: 4 — Thursday 1 January – Sun 4 January
Days to book off: 1 — 2 January
March & April
Give yourself an extra-long Easter break and maybe even book a springtime getaway. Using eight of your annual leave days, you can give yourself a total of 16 days off.
Days off: 16 — Saturday 28 March to Sunday 12 April
Days to book off: 8 — Monday 30 March to Thursday 2 April, and Tuesday 7 April to Friday 10 April
Early May
In early May, you can take another nine-day break (yes, right after the 16-day break — basically, you won’t be working much this spring!) using just four days of annual leave.
Days off: 9 — Saturday 2 to Sunday 10 May
Days to book off: 4 — 6-9 May
Late May
The late May bank holiday gives you another chance for a nine-day break using just four days of annual leave.
Days off: 9 — Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May
Days to book off: 4 — Tuesday 26 to Friday 29 May
August & September
Take a nine-day late summer getaway for nine whole days with four days of annual leave.
Days off: 9 — Saturday 29 August to Sunday 6 September
Days to book off: 4 — Tuesday 1 to Friday 4 September
December
Take an extended Christmas or festive break for a total of 10 days using your remaining six days of annual leave.
Days off: 10 — Saturday 19 December – Monday 28 December
Days to book off: 4 — Monday 21 to Thursday 24 December