UK Public Holiday 2012

Contents

  1. England, Northern Ireland and Wales Public Holiday 2012
  2. Scotland

Here is a list of UK public holiday dates in 2012.

England, Northern Ireland and Wales Public Holiday 2012

Date Name Notes
1 January New Year’s Day from 1974, by Royal proclamation annually
17 March St. Patrick’s Day Northern Ireland only (this was not an officially recognised public holiday in Northern Ireland until the peace process was signed and from thereon was recognised)
variable Good Friday Traditional Common law holiday
Easter Monday Statutory bank holiday, defined by name.
1st Monday in May May Day Bank Holiday from 1978, by Royal proclamation annually
Last Monday in May Spring Bank Holiday Statutory bank holiday from 1971, following a trial period from 1965 to 1970. Replaced Whit Monday, which was formerly a public holiday whose date varied according to the date of Easter.The legislation does not specify a name for the holiday, merely when it occurs.
12 July Orangeman’s Holiday Northern Ireland only
Last Monday in August Late Summer Bank Holiday Statutory bank holiday from 1971, following a trial period from 1965 to 1970. Replaced the first Monday in August (formerly commonly known as “August Bank Holiday”. The legislation does not specify a name for the holiday, merely when it occurs.
25 December Christmas Day Traditional Common law holiday
26 or 27 December (see Notes) Boxing Day Statutory bank holiday. Legislation does not name the holiday, but states that it falls on “26th December, if it be not a Sunday. 27th December in a year in which 25th or 26th December is a Sunday.”
Total 8 (England & Wales) 10 (Northern Ireland)

Notes:

  • In 2011, there was a special holiday on Friday, 29 April, to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, thereby making the previous week a four-day week because of Good Friday, that week a three-day week because of Easter Monday and the following week a four-day week because of May Day. Furthermore, the royal bank holiday falls in the weeks that follow the usual two-week school Easter holiday.
  • In 2012, there will be a special holiday on Tuesday, 5 June, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Therefore, to make it a four-day weekend, the Spring Bank Holiday that would usually occur at the end of May will be pushed back to Monday, 4 June 2012.

Scotland

Main article: Public and Bank holidays in Scotland

Most bank holidays are not recognized in Scotland, as public holidays are generally determined by local authorities across Scotland. Some of these may be taken in lieu of statutory holidays while others may be additional holidays, although many companies, including Royal Mail, do not follow all the holidays listed below, and many swap between English and local holidays.

Since Easter 1996 the Scottish clearing banks have harmonised the days on which they are closed with those in England and Wales, and are therefore closed on Easter Monday and the last Monday in August (rather than the first). This has resulted in a number of local authorities creating a public holiday on Easter Monday. Previously Easter Monday had not been a public holiday in Scotland.

There have been many protests about banks opening on 2 January since this decision was taken. This has resulted in many banks now providing only a limited service on 2 January, with most members of staff still entitled to the holiday

Date Name Major Towns/Cities (not an exhaustive list)
1 January New Year’s Day all
2 January
1st Monday in February Winter Holiday Inverness
1st Monday in March Inverness
Last Monday in March Lochaber
Easter holiday (variable) Good Friday Ayr, Dumfries and Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Inverclyde, Kilmarnock, Paisley, Stirling, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
Easter Monday Ayr, Edinburgh, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Kilmarnock, North Lanarkshire, Paisley, Stirling, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
1st Monday in April Spring Holiday Carnoustie and Monifieth area, Dundee, Fife, Scottish Borders, Inverness, Perth,
2nd Monday in April Angus, expect Carnoustie and Monifieth area, Elgin
3rd Monday in April, or preceding week if would otherwise coincide with Easter Monday Edinburgh
Monday in April; date varies from year to year Aberdeen
Last Monday in April Inverclyde
1st Monday in May Labour Day or Early May Bank Holiday all
Tuesday after 1st Monday in May Victoria Day (*)/Spring Holiday Clydebank, Stirling
Last Monday strictly before 24 May Edinburgh*
4th Monday in May Perth*
Last Monday in May Ayr, Dundee*, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Paisley*, South Lanarkshire
1st Monday in June Galashiels, Inverclyde, Fife
Tuesday after 2nd Thursday in June Linlithgow Marches Linlithgow
Second Thursday in June Lanimer Day Lanark area only
Last Monday in June Fair Holiday Elgin
Saturday preceeding 1st Monday in July Edinburgh
1st Monday in July Falkirk, Inverness
1st Friday in July Braw Lads Gathering Galashiels
2nd Monday in July Fair Holiday Aberdeen
3rd Monday in July Arbroath, Fife, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire except Lanark
4th Friday in July Scottish Borders
Last Monday in July Dundee
1st Monday in August Paisley
1st Monday in September Late Summer Holiday Elgin, Inverclyde
2nd Monday in September Battle of Stirling Bridge Falkirk, Perth, Stirling
3rd Friday in September Ayr Gold Cup Ayr, Kilmarnock
Monday after 3rd Friday in September Ayr, Kilmarnock
3rd Monday in September Autumn Holiday Edinburgh
Last Monday in September Aberdeen, Angus except Carnoustie and Monifieth area, East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Paisley, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
1st Monday in October Carnoustie and Monifieth area, Dundee, Inverness, Perth
2nd Monday in October Scottish Borders
3rd Monday in October Elgin, Fife
1st Monday in November Samhain holiday Inverness
30 November St. Andrew’s Day To be taken in lieu
of one of the other statutory holidays at discretion of individual companies/authorities.[10]		 an official holiday in Angus, Fife, Scottish Borders
25 December Christmas Day All
26 December Boxing Day All

Official bank holidays are:

Date Name
1 January New Year’s Day
2 January New Year Holiday
variable Good Friday
1st Monday in May May Day
Last Monday in May Spring Holiday
1st Monday in August Summer Holiday
November 30 St. Andrew’s Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Boxing Day
Total 9

Note: In 2012, there will be a special holiday on Tuesday, 5 June, to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Therefore, to make it a four-day weekend, along with the usual First Monday in June public holiday.

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