oneHR’s Guide for Managing Bank Holidays

Bank holidays are a welcome break for many employees, but for HR teams, they can pose a few logistical challenges. From scheduling time off to ensuring legal compliance, managing bank holidays effectively requires clear policies and good forward planning.

Here’s how HR professionals and business owners can navigate the bank holiday season smoothly and fairly.

1. Know Your UK Bank Holidays

The UK has different bank holiday dates depending on the nation—England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland all have their own calendars. Make sure you are aware of which holidays apply to your business.

For example, St. Andrew’s Day is a bank holiday in Scotland but not in England. Likewise, Easter Monday is a holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland—but not in Scotland.

2. Clarify Your Holiday Policy

UK law doesn’t require employers to give time off on bank holidays, but many do include them as part of the standard annual leave entitlement. Be clear in your policy about:

• Whether bank holidays are included in the 28-day statutory holiday entitlement
• What happens if a bank holiday falls on a non-working day (especially for part-timers)
• Whether employees can request alternative days off for personal or religious reasons

It is important to make sure that your policy is outlined in employment contracts and your staff handbook to avoid any confusion.

3. Manage Time Off Fairly

Bank holidays—especially around Easter, Christmas, and the August long weekend—are peak times for annual leave. That being the case, you should consider:

• A first-come, first-served system
• A rotational approach to ensure fairness
• Blackout dates for business-critical periods

oneHR allows your business to track and approve time off requests quickly and fairly.

4. Be Inclusive of Diverse Needs

Not all employees will observe traditional UK bank holidays. Offering flexibility, such as allowing staff to swap bank holidays for religious or cultural observances, fosters inclusion and improves engagement.

Just make sure it’s applied consistently and doesn’t impact team operations.

5. Ensure Business Continuity

If your business operates over bank holidays, such as in retail, healthcare or hospitality, you’ll need to:

• Arrange rotas well in advance
• Offer time off in lieu (TOIL) or enhanced pay, where applicable
• Communicate clearly about expectations for working bank holidays

Always ensure that you comply with working time regulations and remember to give employees adequate rest breaks.

6. Stay Legally Compliant

In the UK, full-time workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave per year. This can include bank holidays, but employers can choose to offer them in addition to the minimum entitlement.

Be especially mindful of:

• Part-time staff (their entitlement should be pro-rated)
• Zero-hours or irregular workers
• Carryover rules (typically, statutory holiday cannot be carried over unless specific exceptions apply)

How can oneHR help?

Managing bank holidays doesn’t have to be a headache. With clear policies, fair processes, and a bit of forward planning, you can keep things running smoothly while ensuring your team gets the rest they deserve.

oneHR provides you with a platform to effectively manage your bank holidays, share key leave policies and block out global shutdown days.

Looking to streamline your holiday planning in 2025? Contact the oneHR team today:

Email: contact@onehrsoftware.com

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