People across the West Midlands are preparing to celebrate the start of a new year - but some are unsure if January 1, 2026, is a Bank Holiday

With Christmas Day behind us West Midlanders are looking ahead to celebrate the start of 2026.

It begins on New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1. And with all the confusion of Twixmas where it’s not so easy to remember which day of the week it is with all the celebrations, some of us may be unsure if this date is a bank holiday.

But rest assured - New Year’s Day, January 1, is a Bank Holiday. New Year’s Eve isn’t though.

New Year’s Day is the first Bank Holiday of 2026. There are seven Bank Holidays to look forward to in 2026. Here’s a handy list of all of them to help you plan for the year ahead:

New Year’s Day - 1 January, Thursday
Good Friday - 3 April, Friday
Easter Monday - 6 April, Monday
Early May Bank Holiday - 4 May, Monday
Spring Bank Holiday - 25 May, Monday
Summer Bank Holiday - 31 August, Monday
Christmas Day - 25 December, Friday
Boxing Day (substitute day as the 26th falls on a Saturday) - 28 December, Monday