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May is going to be a big month for bank holidays, with an extra day off to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.
This may affect some services, like shop opening times or deliveries.
When is the next bank holiday?
The next bank holiday falls on Monday 1 May, and is marked across the whole of the UK.
It has been a formal national holiday since 1978, but has developed over many centuries from the traditional May Day.
This is thought to have dated back to the Roman Floralia Festival, and later evolved to become popular in Germanic countries.
Traditionally, the May Day festival refers to the first day of the month, but the date of this year’s bank holiday is coincidental – it simply falls on the first Monday of May.
Are post offices open?
The Royal Mail says: “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.”
Because of this, there will be no postal collections or deliveries around the UK on Monday 1 May.
While most Post Offices will be closed, too, they will be open as usual on Saturday 29 April, and are always closed on Sundays.
Of course, some Post Office branches are integrated into stores, so if you wish to find out the opening hours of your local shop, then do check locally.
How many bank holidays are there in May 2023?
Thanks to the additional bank holiday for the King’s coronation, there are three bank holidays this May, rather than the traditional two.
The Government confirmed in November that the whole of the UK would get a day off to celebrate the crowning of Charles III on Monday 8 May, two days after the ceremony in Westminster Abbey.
In a statement, Rishi Sunak said the coronation of a new monarch was “a unique moment” for the country. He added: “In recognition of this historic occasion, I am pleased to announce an additional bank holiday for the whole United Kingdom next year.
“I look forward to seeing people come together to celebrate and pay tribute to King Charles III by taking part in local and national events across the country in his honour.”
There will then be an additional nationwide day off on Monday 29 May for the spring bank holiday.
This generally falls on the final Monday of May across the UK – however, last year it was moved to later in the week to sit alongside the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday and create a four-day weekend.
When are the other UK bank holidays in 2023?
Bank holiday dates vary 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.
England and Wales bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Monday 28 August – summer bank holiday
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
Scotland bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Monday 7 August – summer bank holiday
- Thursday 30 November – St Andrew’s Day
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
Northern Ireland bank holidays 2023
- Monday 1 May – early May bank holiday
- Monday 8 May – bank holiday for the coronation of King Charles III
- Monday 29 May – spring bank holiday
- Wednesday 12 July – Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day)
- Monday 28 August – summer bank holiday
- Monday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Tuesday 26 December – Boxing Day
For the first time since 2019, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day will be marked with bank holidays on the correct days, after falling on the weekend for three years in a row.
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