Three day work week 2027 - how to get 10 days off for just three days’ annual leave

Is there anything better than a bank holiday? Turns out yes, yes there is. And that’s a substitute bank holiday which gives you a neat three-day work week.  

In 2027, both Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), which means workers in the UK will be entitled to two substitute bank holidays on Monday, the 27th of December and Tuesday, the 28th of December.  

This means, if you work a standard Monday to Friday week, you’ll get a three day work week in 2027. You’ll be off between Saturday, the 25th of December and Tuesday, the 28th of December, and then you’ll only have to work Wednesday to Friday (New Year’s Eve), before getting another long weekend as New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday too.  

So even if you’ve used up all your other annual leave, you’ll get a decent break over the festive period giving you the chance to tuck into those Christmas Day leftovers and chocolates.  

Full list of 2027 bank holidays in England and Wales  

Here’s a full list of all the bank holidays in England and Wales in 2027.  

• Friday, 1st of January – New Year’s Day  

• Friday, 26th of March – Good Friday  

• Monday, 29th of March – Easter Monday  

• Monday, 3rd of May – Early May bank holiday  

• Monday, 31st of May – Spring bank holiday  

• Monday, 30th of August – Summer bank holiday  

• Monday, 27th of December – Christmas Day  

• Tuesday, 28th of December – Boxing Day  

This year, we’ve still got a few bank holidays to look forward to, including:  

• Monday, 4th of May – Early May bank holiday  

• Monday, 25th of May – Spring bank holiday  

• Monday, 31st of August – Summer bank holiday  

• Friday, 25th of December – Christmas Day  

• Monday, 28th of December – Boxing Day (substitute day as the 26th of December falls on a Saturday)  

How to get 10 days off for just three days' worth of annual leave  

The festive period comes with a golden opportunity to maximise your Christmas leave without having to put a massive dent in your annual leave.  

Most years, you only need to take around three days of annual leave to get 10 days off. This is the case even when there aren’t any substitute bank holidays at play. This year, for example, you’d need to request the 29th, 30th and 31st of December to get Christmas through New Year’s Day off. You’d then be off work from Friday, the 25th of December to Sunday, the 3rd of January 2027.  

Next year, you’d need to request the exact same days off – December 29th through to December 31st (except, obviously, in 2027). You’d then be off work from Saturday, the 25th of December through to Monday, the 3rd of January 2028.  

You'll only have to go back to the office on the 4th of January. That’s because the 1st of January falls on a Saturday, so you get a substitute bank holiday on the Monday. That is, of course, assuming you work a standard Monday to Friday job.