We love the phrase working smarter not harder here at Lightning Travel Recruitment, so we figured we'd do just that for you, so you can make the most of 2028 with your annual leave! You're SO welcome :-)

By strategically using 18 days of annual leave around bank holidays in England   and Wales   in 2028, you can unlock up to  47 days off in total.

Key 2028 Bank Holidays (England & Wales)

• New Year's Day   (Substitute):  Monday, 3 January 2028
• Good Friday  :  Friday, 14 April 2028
• Easter Monday  :  Monday, 17 April 2028
• Early May Bank Holiday  :  Monday, 1 May 2028
• Spring Bank Holiday  :  Monday, 29 May 2028
• Summer Bank Holiday  :  Monday, 28 August 2028
• Christmas Day  :  Monday, 25 December 2028
• Boxing Day  :  Tuesday, 26 December 2028

Best Days to Book Off in 2028

• New Year Break   (Early January)  
  • Book off: 2 days (around Jan 1–5)
  • Get: 5 days off in a row (1 January to 5 January) [1]
• Easter Break   (April)  
  • Book off: 4 days around Good Friday   (14 April) and Easter Monday   (17 April)  
  • Get: An extended 10-day spring stretch combining weekends and public holidays
• May Bank Holidays   (May)  
  • Book off: Early May   and Spring bank holiday   Mondays (1 May and 29 May)  
  • Get: Shortened workweeks or extended 4-to-9-day blocks by pairing with the surrounding weekends
• Summer Break   (August)  
  • Book off: 4–5 days around the Summer Bank Holiday   on Monday, 28 August 2028 
  • Get: 9 consecutive days off using only a handful of annual leave days
• Christmas   & New Year   (December)   
  • Book off: Days leading up to and right after Christmas Day   (Monday, 25 December) and Boxing Day   (Tuesday, 26 December)  
  • Get: A massive festive block stretching past the weekend into the New Year     

and Scotland, don't worry, we haven't forgotten about y'all, see below for how best you can work it, too:

Best Days to Book Off in 2028

• New Year Super-Break   (Early January)  
  • Book off: 3 days (Wednesday 29–Friday 31 December 2027) or 1–2 days into January (Wednesday 5 January 2028)
  • Get: Up to 11 consecutive days from Christmas 2027 through Tuesday, 4 January 2028, thanks to the double-bank holiday start.
• Easter Weekend   (April)  
  • Book off: 4 days (Monday 10–Thursday 13 April, or Tuesday 18–Friday 21 April)
  • Get: A solid 9-day run off anchored by Good Friday (14 April), though Easter Monday requires using leave since it is not statutory in Scotland.
• May Bank Holidays   (May)  
  • Book off: 4 days around Early May   (1 May) or Spring Bank Holiday (29 May) 
  • Get: 9-day blocks on standard 5-day leave weeks, or take individual days to turn every Monday bank holiday into a 4-day weekend.
• August Summer Break   (August)  
  • Book off: 4 days (Tuesday 8–Friday 11 August)
  • Get: 9 consecutive days off following the Monday, 7 August bank holiday.
• St Andrew’s Day Pivot   (November)  
  • Book off: Friday, 1 December 2028 (1 day)
  • Get: A 4-day weekend anchored by St Andrews Day on Thursday, 30 November.
• Festive Block   (December)  
  • Book off: Wednesday 27–Friday 29 December 2028 (3 days)
  • Get: 10 consecutive days off from Christmas Day (Monday, 25 December) through New Years Day. 

You can verify exact local council or trade holidays (which vary by region like Glasgow or Edinburgh) or check custom allocations via LeaveDates UK Guide. Plus y'all may have the Glasgow Fair or Edinburgh Trades holidays, and more - i've learned about all the regional holidays after living in Scotland for the past few years.

Hope this helps! And let us know where you're planning on using your A/L to visit!