Three days to be worked off in 2025
1 January falls on a Wednesday, the bank holidays of 15 March on a Saturday, which is why the first long weekend in 2025 can only be celebrated at Easter. Since Good Friday has been declared a public holiday, Easter guarantees four consecutive days off work, which are due next year from 18-21 April.
In conjunction with 1 May, which falls on a Thursday, the first bridging day comes into effect, which must be worked off two weeks later, on the Saturday of 17 May. The same regulation will come into effect on the revolutionary holiday of 23 October – however, the bridge day following on the Friday will already be worked off on the Saturday before (18 October). The bank holidays of 20 August (on a Wednesday) is also unfortunate in 2025, not to mention All Saints’ Day, as 1 November will be a Saturday.
This leaves only the three-day Whitsun weekend (7-9 June) and, as a conciliatory conclusion, a five-day Christmas. This is because Christmas Eve is now considered a day off work, which must be worked off on Saturday 13 December. However, this means that Christmas cheer can begin on the morning of 24 December, without interruption from Wednesday to Sunday.
To summarise, in 2025 there will be three bridging days (to be worked off) and two ‘ineffective’ public holidays that fall on weekends, meaning only ten days off between weekends.