Is there post on Monday? How the 2022 May bank holiday affects Royal Mail and if post offices are open

After two years of bank holidays being disrupted by Covid-19 restrictions, people are understandably keen to make up for lost time.

The UK is getting a bumper crop of holidays in 2022, with an extra day off to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Next up is the May Day bank holiday, which takes place in all four UK nations on Monday 2 May.

While they are welcome, the long weekends can cause disruption too, particularly if you need to head to the shops or are expecting an important letter or parcel – here’s how Royal Mail is affected this Monday.

Is there post on the May bank holiday Monday?

There will be no Royal Mail postal collections or deliveries in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland on Monday 2 May. Services will then return to normal on Tuesday.

The Royal Mail explains: “We deliver and collect your mail on most days of the year, including Saturdays. However, we don’t usually deliver or collect on bank and public holidays.”

You can see a full calendar of the dates that post is affected by public holidays on the Royal Mail website here.

Will post offices be open on Monday?

Many Post Offices will be closed on Monday 2 May for the bank holiday.

However, local branches, such as those inside convenience stores, may still be open, albeit with reduced hours, while Post Offices should be operating at their normal times on Saturday.

You can use the Royal Mail’s branch finder to check for up-to-date information about your local Post Office, or the information you need to contact it directly.

Full list of UK bank holidays in 2022

Here are the 2022 bank holiday dates for the four UK nations in full, including the extra day off for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee:

England and Wales bank holidays 2022

• Monday 3 January (New Year’s Day substitute)
• Friday 15 April (Good Friday)
• Monday 18 April (Easter Monday)
• Monday 2 May (early May bank holiday)
• Thursday 2 June (spring bank holiday)
• Friday 3 June (Platinum Jubilee bank holiday)
• Monday 29 August (summer bank holiday)
• Monday 26 December (Boxing Day)
• Tuesday 27 December (Christmas Day substitute)

Scotland bank holidays 2022

• Monday 3 January (New Year’s Day substitute)
• Tuesday 4 January (2 January substitute)
• Friday 15 April (Good Friday)
• Monday 2 May (early May bank holiday)
• Thursday 2 June (spring bank holiday)
• Friday 3 June (Platinum Jubilee bank holiday)
• Monday 1 August (summer bank holiday)
• Wednesday 1 November (St Andrew’s Day)
• Monday 26 December (Boxing Day)
• Tuesday 27 December (Christmas Day substitute)

Northern Ireland bank holidays 2022

• Monday 3 January (New Year’s Day substitute)
• Thursday 17 March (St Patrick’s Day)
• Friday 15 April (Good Friday)
• Monday 18 April (Easter Monday)
• Monday 2 May (early May bank holiday)
• Thursday 2 June (spring bank holiday)
• Friday 3 June (Platinum Jubilee bank holiday)
• Tuesday 12 July (Battle of the Boyne)
• Monday 29 August (summer bank holiday)
• Monday 26 December (Boxing Day)
• Tuesday 27 December (Christmas Day substitute)

Bank holiday dates slightly across the UK: England and Wales always have the same bank holidays, but Scotland and Northern Ireland have some of their own dates.

For example, Scotland’s summer bank holiday falls at the start of August, rather than the end of the month.