Easter 2025, 2026 and 2027
The Easter weekend in the UK includes two public holidays either side of the main Easter Sunday observance. This annual and ancient celebration is looked forward to by millions of people across Great Britain.
Easter Sunday falls on 20 April in 2025, with the Good Friday public holiday therefore falling two days earlier on 18 April. In 2026 Easter will be celebrated earlier in the calendar with Easter Sunday falling on 5 April.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | National |
| 21 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | National except Scotland | |
| 2026 | 3 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | National |
| 6 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | National except Scotland | |
| 2027 | 26 Mar | Fri | Good Friday | National |
| 29 Mar | Mon | Easter Monday | National except Scotland | |
| Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. | ||||
The Easter weekend is the first public holiday period of the year to enjoy spring-like weather, so many outdoor events are generally part of Easter celebrations. This includes domestic travel to visit family and key hotspot destinations, though many rail services will operate a reduced or amended schedule on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
The date of Easter changes each year based on centuries-old calculations that determine the Christian Ecclesiastical Calendar, and this is why Easter occurs later in 2025 than in other years. The date of Easter is always the Sunday following the first full moon that occurs after the first day of spring. Thus, the date of Easter Sunday can be anytime between 22 March and 25 April.
Easter is regarded as the most important holy day by Christians, and the lead up to Easter includes the 40 days of lent and Holy Week culminating in Easter Sunday – also known as Resurrection Sunday or Pascha. Easter is one of the oldest Christian traditions and commemorates the last week of Jesus’ life, his death, and his resurrection.
While defined as a Christian holiday, Easter has many of its roots in the traditions and rituals of the pagan people who inhabited the United Kingdom before its wide spread conversion to the Christian faith. Scholars believe that Easter was named after “Eostre”, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the spring.
One of the most popular Easter traditions is the giving of Easter eggs. Chocolate eggs are given to children on Easter Sunday. These can either be hollow or have a filling, such as a cream base, and tend to be wrapped in silver or gold paper. Early Easter gifts were originally birds’ eggs, painted in bright colours and patterns. Some still celebrate Easter with egg painting as a children’s activity.
Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday. They are generally consumed as a breakfast food and come straight from the oven. Fish is the traditional food of choice for Good Friday suppers, while some devout Christians opt to fast instead in memory of the sacrifice given by Jesus Christ.
Previous Years
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 29 Mar | Fri | Good Friday | National |
| 1 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | National except Scotland | |
| 2023 | 7 Apr | Fri | Good Friday | National |
| 10 Apr | Mon | Easter Monday | National except Scotland |