No legal right to extra pay
There's no legal right to time off on a bank holiday, or to extra pay for working one. Any enhanced rate (time and a half, double time) comes from your contract.
Bank holidays and your holiday allowance
Employers can include bank holidays in your 5.6 weeks of statutory holiday. If you're full-time and your workplace closes, those days may be taken from your allowance. On irregular hours, holiday builds up at 12.07% of your hours instead.
What to check
- Whether your contract promises an enhanced rate for bank holidays
- That the enhanced hours appear as a separate line on your payslip
- Whether a bank holiday off was taken from your allowance
The UK bank holidays aren't the same everywhere
- England and Wales: 8 bank holidays, including Easter Monday and the last Monday in August.
- Scotland: 9, including 2 January and St Andrew's Day, with the summer bank holiday on the first Monday in August and no Easter Monday.
- Northern Ireland: 10, including St Patrick's Day and 12 July.
A worked example
A worker on £12.71 works an 8-hour Boxing Day shift. With no premium, that's £101.68. At time and a half, it's £152.52. At double time, £203.36. Some contracts give a day off in lieu instead of a premium, so check whether you've been given one.
Part-time and bank holidays
If your workplace closes on bank holidays and your days off happen to fall on Mondays, you can end up with fewer days' holiday than a colleague who works different days. Part-time workers shouldn't be treated less favourably, so holiday is usually worked out pro rata.
Keep your own record
Keep a dated record of every shift on your phone with Shiftaan. It's the evidence you'll want if your pay is ever wrong. Try it.
Common questions
Do I get double pay on bank holidays?
Only if your contract says so. There's no legal right to extra pay for working a bank holiday.
Are bank holidays the same in Scotland?
No. Scotland has 2 January and St Andrew's Day, a different summer bank holiday date, and no Easter Monday.