Scottish Bank Holidays 2023: Here are all Scotland's bank holidays, who sets them, and do I automatically get them off?

Scots will enjoy an extra bank holiday this year to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

Scotland has bank holidays that are unique from the rest of the United Kingdom (the most obvious being January 2 and St Andrew’s Day).

But it’s not quite as simple as all that – with banks sometimes remaining open when there is an official bank holidays and closing on days when there isn't.

Meanwhile many Scottish workers don’t get any bank holidays off, with no laws in place to force employers to recognise them.

Here’s everything you need to know, including where this year’s bank holidays fall.

When are the 2023 Bank Holidays in Scotland?

Here are all this year's scheduled Bank Holidays:

January 2 (Monday): New Year

January 3 (Tuesday): New Year

April 7 (Friday): Good Friday

May 1 (Monday): Early May

May 8 (Monday): Coronation Bank Holiday

May 29 (Monday): Spring Bank Holiday

August 7 (Monday): Summer Bank Holiday

November 30 (Thursday): St Andrew's Day

December 25 (Monday): Christmas Day

December 26 (Tuesday): Boxing Day

Why is Easter Monday not a bank holiday?

While Easter Monday is a bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is not officially a bank holiday in Scotland.

However, since Easter 1996, Scottish banks have harmonised the days on which they are closed with those in England and Wales, so are closed on Easter Monday.

Who sets bank holidays?

Scottish bank holidays are set by Scottish Ministers and are the same across the whole of Scotland. His Majesty the King also has the power to appoint extra days as a bank holiday – for instance this year for his Coronation.

What happens when a bank holiday falls on a weekend?

If a bank holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday (as it did this year for the January 1 and 2 holidays) the following Monday (and Tuesday in the case of two-day bank holidays) are substituted.

Am I entitled to time off from my employer on a bank holiday?

Not everyone is entitled to paid leave on bank or public holidays. You should check with your employer to see what your terms of employment say.

Employers who do give staff time off for bank holidays may not necessarily follow the Scottish bank holidays – for instance many give employees Easter Monday off even though it is not an official bank holiday, while asking staff to work St Andrew’s Day, which is.

Are banks closed on bank holidays?

Despite the name, banks in Scotland do not always close on Scottish bank holidays. For business reasons, they tend to close on the same day as those in England and Wales.

There is no law requiring banks or any other businesses to close on bank holidays.