When is Easter 2026 – UK Dates, Bank Holidays & Orthodox Easter

Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on 5 April, making it one of the earlier Easters in recent years. The date affects bank holidays, school breaks, and observances across the United Kingdom and beyond. This article provides the confirmed dates, explains the differences between Western and Orthodox Easter, and outlines what is known – and what remains uncertain – about the Easter period in 2026.

When is Easter 2026?

Key insights about Easter 2026:

• Easter 2026 is earlier than Easter 2025, which fell on 20 April.
• In the UK, Good Friday and Easter Monday are statutory bank holidays in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Orthodox Easter in 2026 is later than Western Easter because it follows the Julian calendar.
• UK school holidays for Easter 2026 vary by local authority but typically span two weeks around Easter Sunday.
• Because Easter 2026 falls in the first week of April, it may coincide with early spring breaks in some regions.

When is Easter 2026 in the UK?

Easter 2026 in the UK is marked by a four-day weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday. The exact dates are confirmed by the UK Government and major calendar sources.

Good Friday and Easter Monday Bank Holidays

Good Friday falls on 3 April 2026 and Easter Monday on 6 April 2026. These are public holidays in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, Good Friday is a public holiday, but Easter Monday is not observed nationally; some local councils may grant it as a discretionary day off.

Easter School Holidays 2026

School term dates for Easter 2026 are set by individual local education authorities. A common pattern in England and Wales is for schools to close for two weeks around Easter Sunday – typically from the Friday before Good Friday or the Monday after. For 2026, many schools are expected to break up around 27 March and return on 13 April, but these dates vary. It is advisable to check with the specific school or local council.

In Scotland, school holiday dates are also determined locally, and Easter holidays often align with the two-week pattern, though precise dates differ by authority.

Scotland: A Different Arrangement

As noted, Scotland observes Good Friday but not Easter Monday as a statutory holiday. This means the Easter weekend in Scotland effectively runs from Friday to Sunday, with Monday being a regular working day unless an employer chooses to give it as a concession.

When is Orthodox Easter 2026?

Orthodox Easter 2026 is not yet definitively fixed in the widely available public calendars. This is because the Orthodox Church calculates Easter using the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar used by Western churches. The result is that Orthodox Easter usually falls later – often between one and five weeks after Western Easter.

Why is Orthodox Easter Different?

The divergence stems from the two calendars and from different computus rules for calculating the date of the first full moon after the vernal equinox. For 2026, the exact Orthodox date is not provided by the standard UK sources consulted. Readers seeking the precise date should refer to official Orthodox church calendars or dedicated resources.

Greek Orthodox Easter 2026

Greek Orthodox Easter follows the same calculation as other Orthodox churches. The date for 2026 remains unconfirmed in the research materials available. It will be announced well ahead of time by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece.

What is the Holy Week Timeline for 2026?

The week leading up to Easter Sunday has a fixed sequence of days, each with its own significance. Below is the timeline for the Western Church in 2026.

1. Ash Wednesday – 18 February 2026: Start of Lent.
2. Palm Sunday – 29 March 2026: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
3. Maundy Thursday – 2 April 2026: The Last Supper.
4. Good Friday – 3 April 2026: Crucifixion and UK bank holiday.
5. Easter Sunday – 5 April 2026: The Resurrection.
6. Easter Monday – 6 April 2026: Continuation of celebration and UK bank holiday.

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear About Easter 2026?

Why Does Easter 2026 Fall on 5 April?

Western Easter is determined by a rule known as computus: the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox (fixed at 21 March). For 2026, the calculations yield 5 April. This places the date in the early part of the possible range (22 March to 25 April).

Easter is the most important Christian festival, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It marks the end of Lent and Holy Week. In the UK, the holiday period has a significant cultural impact: Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, and many families take advantage of the school break to travel or spend time together.

Where Can I Find Reliable Information on Easter 2026?

Several authoritative sources provide confirmed dates and explanations of Easter. timeanddate.com offers a detailed page for Easter Sunday 2026 in the United Kingdom, including the calculation method. calendardate.com confirms the date with a simple format. The UK Government’s bank holidays page lists official public holidays, including Good Friday and Easter Monday.

For background on the Easter calculation and differences between traditions, Wikipedia’s Easter article provides a thorough overview. The BBC’s religion and ethics page explains the Christian observances during Holy Week.

What Is the Key Takeaway About Easter 2026?

Easter Sunday 2026 is confirmed for 5 April, with Good Friday and Easter Monday creating a long weekend across most of the UK. The date is relatively early in the calendar year, and school holidays will likely align with the two weeks around Easter – though exact dates should be confirmed locally. For those following the Orthodox calendar, the date remains to be determined and will differ from the Western celebration. For reference on previous Easter dates, see our article on Easter 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions