When Is Easter 2026 – Dates, Bank Holidays & School Breaks

Easter 2026 falls on Sunday, April 5 for Western churches, with Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. Orthodox Easter follows a week later on April 12. This guide covers all the key dates, UK bank holidays, school breaks, and the differences between Western and Orthodox traditions.

Planning ahead for Easter 2026 means knowing not just the date of Easter Sunday but also the surrounding public holidays and school closures across the UK. The 2026 Easter weekend arrives early in the spring calendar, offering a four-day break for millions of people in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Scotland follows a slightly different pattern.

Beyond the UK, Orthodox Christians in Britain and around the world celebrate Easter on a different date in 2026. Understanding why these dates differ, and what they mean for travel, work, and family plans, makes this guide a complete reference for the Easter period.

When is Easter 2026?

Easter Sunday in 2026 is April 5 for Western Christianity. This includes Catholic, Protestant, and Anglican traditions. The date is calculated as the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox – a method established by the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325.

Several important points help frame the 2026 Easter period:

• Easter 2026 occurs relatively early in the spring – April 5.
• The UK enjoys a four-day long weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Orthodox Easter is exactly one week after Western Easter in 2026.
• School holidays in the UK typically align with the Easter period, but exact dates vary by local authority.
• Easter 2027 falls on March 28, making it even earlier in the year.
• Ash Wednesday 2026, marking the start of Lent, falls on February 18.

When are the Easter Bank Holidays in the UK in 2026?

The Easter bank holidays in 2026 are Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. These dates apply to England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, creating a statutory four-day weekend from Friday through Monday. The UK Government – Bank Holidays page confirms these dates as official public holidays.

Good Friday – April 3, 2026

Good Friday is a public holiday across all four nations of the United Kingdom – England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Most businesses, schools, and government offices close. Some retail and hospitality venues may operate on reduced hours.

Easter Monday – April 6, 2026

Easter Monday is a public holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland but not in Scotland. This distinction is important for anyone planning travel or work across the border. Scottish schools and some employers may still observe the day, but it is not a statutory national bank holiday. Sources such as Remitly’s guide to Easter Monday and LeaveDates’ bank holiday overview confirm this regional difference.

Easter Saturday – April 4, 2026

Easter Saturday is not a bank holiday anywhere in the UK. However, it falls within the long weekend and many people take it as annual leave to extend the break. Schools are typically closed as part of the Easter holiday period.

When is Orthodox Easter 2026?

Orthodox Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on April 12, exactly one week after the Western date. Orthodox Easter Monday follows on April 13. These dates are based on the Julian calendar, which is currently 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used by Western churches.

Orthodox Easter Sunday 2026 – April 12

Orthodox Easter, also known as Pascha, is celebrated by Greek, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and other Eastern Orthodox communities. In 2026, the date is April 12. Orthodox Easter is generally not a UK-wide public bank holiday, although some local authorities with large Orthodox populations may acknowledge it.

Why is Orthodox Easter one week later in 2026?

Two factors cause the difference. First, the Julian calendar lags behind the Gregorian calendar by 13 days. Second, Orthodox churches calculate the paschal full moon using a different method. In 2026, these two factors combine to produce a one-week gap. In other years the gap can be four or five weeks. The Old Farmer’s Almanac – Easter Date Explanation provides background on the computus rules used by both traditions.

When are the Easter School Holidays in 2026 (UK)?

UK school Easter holiday dates vary by nation, council, and individual school. The UK Government advises checking local council websites for exact term dates, as stated on the GOV.UK school term and holiday dates page.

Typical UK school Easter holiday dates 2026

For many schools in England and Wales, the Easter break runs from Monday, March 30 to Friday, April 10, 2026. This two-week window covers the weekend before Good Friday, Good Friday itself, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and the first part of the week after Easter. Sources such as LuxTripper’s bank holiday guide and HolidayExtras school holidays overview confirm this common pattern.

How to check your school’s exact Easter holiday dates

Each local authority in the UK publishes term dates on its official website. Searching for “[your council name] term dates 2026” will lead to the correct calendar. Private and independent schools may follow different schedules, so checking directly with the school is always advisable.

Holy Week 2026: What Happens When?

Holy Week in 2026 begins on Palm Sunday and culminates in Easter Sunday. The sequence of key dates for Western Christianity is as follows:

1. March 29, 2026 – Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem and the start of Holy Week.
2. April 2, 2026 – Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Last Supper.
3. April 3, 2026 – Good Friday, a public holiday across the UK.
4. April 4, 2026 – Holy Saturday (Easter Saturday), a day of quiet reflection.
5. April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday, the celebration of the Resurrection.
6. April 6, 2026 – Easter Monday, a public holiday in most of the UK.

What’s Certain and What Varies About Easter 2026?

How the Easter Date Is Calculated

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the March equinox. This rule, known as the computus, was established by the First Council of Nicaea in AD 325. Because the lunar calendar does not align perfectly with the solar year, the date shifts each year between March 22 and April 25.

Orthodox churches follow the same basic rule but use the older Julian calendar and a different method for calculating the paschal full moon. This is why Orthodox Easter often falls on a different date, sometimes weeks apart from the Western celebration. For readers interested in how calendar systems work, the article How Many Days in a Year – Calendar Facts and Science Explained provides useful background.

What the Sources Say About Easter 2026

Several authoritative sources confirm the Easter 2026 dates. The UK Government publishes official bank holiday schedules, while reference sites explain the date calculation. The following quotes reflect the key facts:

Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac – Easter Date Explanation

Good Friday and Easter Monday are statutory bank holidays in the UK.

UK Government – Bank Holidays

Easter 2026 is on Sunday, April 5.

CalendarDate – Easter 2026

Planning Ahead: Easter 2026 and Beyond

Easter 2026 offers an early spring break, with clear bank holiday dates for anyone in the UK. Western Easter is April 5, Orthodox Easter is April 12, and school holidays in many areas run from March 30 to April 10. For those already looking further ahead, Easter 2027 falls on March 28 (Western) and May 2 (Orthodox). A separate guide on the Blood Moon Total Lunar Eclipse – UK Viewing Guide 2026 may also be of interest for spring 2026 skywatchers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Easter 2026