Key differences that affect your payments in Scotland:
- 2 January is a bank holiday, and when it falls on a weekend the substitute day follows — so in 2027, Monday 4 January is a bank holiday and payments due then are paid on Thursday 31 December 2026.
- St Andrew's Day (30 November) shifts payments: in 2026 it falls on a Monday, so payments due that day are paid on Friday 27 November 2026.
- No Easter Monday — payments due on Easter Monday are paid as normal in Scotland, unlike in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The summer bank holiday is the first Monday of August (3 August 2026, 2 August 2027), not the last Monday.
- 2026 included a one-off World Cup bank holiday on Monday 15 June 2026.
Child Benefit note: HMRC sometimes pays Child Benefit a day later around Scotland-only holidays — see the Child Benefit page. Local holidays (for example in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee) can also delay Child Benefit; check with your bank.
Bank holidays 2026 — Scotland
| If your payment is due on | Bank holiday | You will usually be paid on |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | New Year's Day | Wednesday 31 December 2025 |
| Friday 2 January 2026 | 2nd January | Wednesday 31 December 2025 |
| Friday 3 April 2026 | Good Friday | Thursday 2 April 2026 |
| Monday 4 May 2026 | Early May bank holiday | Friday 1 May 2026 |
| Monday 25 May 2026 | Spring bank holiday | Friday 22 May 2026 |
| Monday 15 June 2026 | World Cup bank holiday | Friday 12 June 2026 |
| Monday 3 August 2026 | Summer bank holiday | Friday 31 July 2026 |
| Monday 30 November 2026 | St Andrew's Day | Friday 27 November 2026 |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | Christmas Day | Thursday 24 December 2026 |
| Monday 28 December 2026 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Thursday 24 December 2026 |
Bank holidays 2027 — Scotland
| If your payment is due on | Bank holiday | You will usually be paid on |
|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | New Year's Day | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Monday 4 January 2027 | 2nd January (substitute day) | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | Good Friday | Thursday 25 March 2027 |
| Monday 3 May 2027 | Early May bank holiday | Friday 30 April 2027 |
| Monday 31 May 2027 | Spring bank holiday | Friday 28 May 2027 |
| Monday 2 August 2027 | Summer bank holiday | Friday 30 July 2027 |
| Tuesday 30 November 2027 | St Andrew's Day | Monday 29 November 2027 |
| Monday 27 December 2027 | Christmas Day (substitute day) | Friday 24 December 2027 |
| Tuesday 28 December 2027 | Boxing Day (substitute day) | Friday 24 December 2027 |
Use the payment date calculator to work out your own next payment dates for Scotland, see the Christmas payment dates 2026/27, or browse dates by benefit from the homepage.
Frequently asked questions
Does St Andrew's Day change my payment date?
Yes. St Andrew's Day (30 November) is a bank holiday in Scotland, so payments due that day are paid on the working day before: in 2026 it falls on a Monday, so payments due then are paid on Friday 27 November 2026; in 2027 it falls on a Tuesday, so payments are paid on Monday 29 November 2027.
Why don't payments move for Easter Monday in Scotland?
Scotland does not have Easter Monday as a bank holiday, so payments due on Easter Monday are paid as normal in Scotland — unlike in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, where they move to the working day before.
Do bank holidays in England affect payments in Scotland?
No. Only Scotland's own bank holiday list affects payments in Scotland — which is why dates can differ either side of the border, for example at the start of August, when Scotland's summer bank holiday falls on the first Monday of the month.
What about local holidays in Scotland?
Local holidays (for example in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee) are not national bank holidays, so DWP payments are normally unaffected. HMRC advises that Child Benefit can occasionally be delayed by local holidays — if yours is late, check with your bank first.