08 Jan 25
Public Holidays in Ireland, Luxembourg and the UK for 2025
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As we step into 2025, it's helpful to stay updated on the public holidays for the year ahead. Below, we've outlined the public holidays for Ireland, Luxembourg and the UK, to help you plan your calendar and organise the year efficiently.
Public Holidays in Ireland in 2025
January 1 - New Year's Day
February 3 - St Brigid's Day
March 17 - Saint Patrick's Day
April 21 - Easter Monday
May 5 - May Day
June 2 - June Bank Holiday
August 4 - August Bank Holiday
October 27 - October Bank Holiday
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 26 - St Stephen's Day
Entitlements
In Ireland, most employees are entitled to leave on public holidays. Full-time workers have immediate entitlement to a benefit for public holidays and part-time workers have entitlement to a benefit when they have worked a total of 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks and if it falls on a day that they do usually work.
As there are some workplaces which are not in a position to provide a day off, if your employee qualifies for a public holiday benefit then they will be entitled to one of the following options:
A paid day off on the public holiday;
An additional day of annual leave;
An additional day’s pay; or
A paid day off within a month of the public holiday.
For part time employees, if they don’t normally work on the day which is a public holiday, then they are entitled to one-fifth of their weekly pay in compensation for the public holiday.
Public Holidays in Luxembourg for 2025
January 1 - New Year’s Day
April 21 – Easter Monday
May 1 – May Day
May 9 – Europe Day
May 29 - Ascension Day
June 9 – Whit Monday
June 23 – National Day
August 15 – Assumption Day
November 1 – All Saints
December 25 – Christmas Day
December 26 – Boxing Day
In Luxembourg, there is a total of 11 public holidays per year. Among them, 8 have a fixed date and 3 are celebrated without fixed dates.
Entitlements
In Luxembourg, employees are generally entitled to public holidays as mandated by the law. If a public holiday falls on an employee’s normal day off, the employee is allowed a compensatory paid day of leave, which must be used within three months of the holiday. With permission from an employer, salaried workers in Luxembourg are permitted to celebrate a local or business holiday in lieu of an official public holiday. The law simply provides that every employee shall receive 11 paid holidays per year.
Salaried workers, especially in the financial and banking sectors may be granted additional holidays during bank closures, such as Good Friday. These additional holidays are generally set forth in an employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.
According to the Labour Code, if a public holiday falls on a weekend, employees in the banking industry are entitled to a compensatory day off. Some banks offer a salary premium, depending on the terms set forth in an employment agreement.
If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, additional compensation, known as a premium, must be paid by the employer. The amount of the premium varies, depending on the day of the week the employee is required to work and the established regular work schedule. If an employee works on a public holiday on a normal workday, he or she is entitled to regular wages, a 100 percent premium for each hour worked and an extra day of leave. Salary premiums paid for work performed on public holidays are tax-exempt.
Public Holidays in the UK for 2025
January 1 – New Years Day
April 18 – Good Friday
April 21 – Easter Monday
May 5 – Early May Bank Holiday
May 26 – Spring Bank Holiday
August 25 – Summer Bank Holiday
December 25 – Christmas Day
December 26 – Boxing Day
Entitlements
In the UK, employees do not possess statutory rights to bank holidays. Employers have the discretion to decide whether UK bank holidays in 2025 are included in an employee’s statutory annual leave or offered as unpaid time off, in accordance with Section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Employers can require their employees to work on a bank holiday, as long as their request is in line with the terms of their employment. In such a situation, employees cannot refuse to work.
For further information on the obligations of employers and entitlements of employees in relation to public holidays, please contact Henry Barrett.