Double Your Time Off: Stack Annual Leave and Public Holidays in 2025

Annual leave is precious, and with a little planning, you can make it go much further. The secret? Strategic scheduling around UK bank holidays. Whether you’re in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, you can turn a few days of leave into extended breaks. Let’s explore how you can double your downtime in 2025.

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Why Strategic Planning Matters

With the average UK employee getting just 28 days of paid leave annually, it can feel limiting. But by aligning your time off with public holidays, you can enjoy extended breaks without using extra leave. The key is simple: book your leave around the existing holidays.

This approach, often called “leave stacking,” works because UK bank holidays are conveniently placed near weekends. For instance, by booking four days off before or after a long weekend, you can turn those days into a 10-day holiday.

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England and Wales

In 2025, England and Wales have 8 bank holidays.

• New Year’s Day – Wednesday, 1st January 2025
• Good Friday – Friday, 18th April 2025
• Easter Monday – Monday, 21st April 2025
• Early May Bank Holiday – Monday, 5th May 2025
• Spring Bank Holiday – Monday, 26th May 2025
• Summer Bank Holiday – Monday, 25th August 2025
• Christmas Day – Thursday, 25th December 2025
• Boxing Day – Friday, 26th December 2025

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Here’s how you can stretch your leave:

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Dates to Book:

1. New Year’s Day: Book 2-3 January for 5 consecutive days off (1-5 January).
2. Easter Break: Plan two sets of 4-day leave periods: Monday, 14th April to Thursday, 17th April, and Tuesday, 22nd April to Friday, 25th April. This strategic booking allows for a 16-day stretch off, from Saturday, 12th April to Sunday, 27th April.
3. Early May Bank Holiday: Book 6-9 May for 9 days off (3-11 May).
4. Spring Bank Holiday: Book 27-30 May for another 9-day stretch (24 May-1 June).
5. August 2025: Book 4 days off from Tuesday, 26th August to Friday, 29th August, for a well-earned 9-day break, starting on Saturday, 23rd August and ending on Sunday, 31st August.
6. Christmas and Boxing Day: Combine 22-24 December and 29-31 December for up to 13 days off (20 December 2025-1 January 2026).

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Scotland

Scotland enjoys 9 bank holidays, offering even more opportunities to maximise leave.

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• New Year’s Day – Wednesday, 1st January 2025
• 2nd January – Thursday, 2nd January 2025
• Good Friday – Friday, 18th April 2025
• Early May Bank Holiday – Monday, 5th May 2025
• Spring Bank Holiday – Monday, 26th May 2025
• Summer Bank Holiday – Monday, 4th August 2025
• St Andrew’s Day (substitute day) – Monday, 1st December 2025
• Christmas Day – Thursday, 25th December 2025
• Boxing Day – Friday, 26th December 2025

Here’s how you can stretch your leave:

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Dates to Book:

1. New Year’s Day and 2 January: Book 3 of January for 5 consecutive days off.
2. Good Friday (18 April): Plan 4-day leave period: Monday, 14th April to Thursday, 17th April. This strategic booking allows for a 9-day stretch off.
3. Early May Bank Holiday: Book 6-9 May for 9 days off (3-11 May).‍
4. Spring Bank Holiday: Book 27-30 May for another 9-day stretch (24 May-1 June).
5. ‍Summer Bank Holiday: Plan around 4 August for a refreshing summer break - 9 days off.‍
6. St. Andrew’s Day (1 December): Book surrounding days for a long winter escape- 9 days off.‍
7. Christmas and Boxing Day: Combine 22-24 December and 29-31 December for up to 12 days off (20 December 2025-1 January 2026).

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Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays, giving you even more flexibility.

• New Year’s Day – Wednesday, 1st January 2025
• St Patrick’s Day - Monday, 17th March 2025
• Good Friday – Friday, 18th April 2025
• Easter Monday – Monday, 21st April 2025
• Early May Bank Holiday – Monday, 5th May 2025
• Spring Bank Holiday – Monday, 26th May 2025
• Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)(substitute day) – Monday, 14th July 2025
• Summer Bank Holiday – Monday, 25th August 2025
• Christmas Day – Thursday, 25th December 2025
• Boxing Day – Friday, 26th December 2025

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Here’s how you can stretch your leave:

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Dates to Book:

1. New Year’s Day: Book 2-3 January for 5 consecutive days off (1-5 January).
2. Add St. Patrick’s Day (17 March) to your leave plan for a spring getaway - 9 days off.‍
3. Easter Break: Plan 4-day leave period: Tuesday, 22nd April to Friday, 25th April. This strategic booking allows for a 10-day stretch off.
4. Early May Bank Holiday: Book 6-9 May for 9 days off (3-11 May).‍
5. Spring Bank Holiday: Book 27-30 May for another 9-day stretch (24 May-1 June).
6. Battle of Boyne: Book 15-18 July for another 9-day stretch.‍
7. August 2025: Book 4 days off from Tuesday, 26th August to Friday, 29th August, for a well-earned 9-day break, starting on Saturday, 23rd August and ending on Sunday, 31st August.
8. Christmas and Boxing Day: Combine 29-31 December for up to 7 days off (25 December 2025-1 January 2026).

By booking around these dates, you can enjoy up to 67 days off using just 29 days of annual leave.

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How to Plan Your Leave

• Start Early: Popular dates can get booked quickly, so plan ahead.
• Coordinate with Colleagues: Ensure your team’s schedule allows for smooth coverage.
• Use Tools: Leverage leave management software like TimeOff.Management to streamline the process.

Why This Matters for Employers and Teams

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Planning annual leave isn’t just beneficial for employees—it’s a win for businesses too. By encouraging strategic leave planning, companies can reduce staffing shortages, manage workloads effectively, and ensure happier, more productive teams.

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Maximising your annual leave is all about planning smartly around UK bank holidays. Whether you’re after long weekends or a two-week break, aligning your leave with public holidays ensures you get the rest you deserve. So, what are you waiting for? Pull up your leave calendar and start planning for 2025 today!

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