New Year's Day
159 days until New Year's Day
About New Year's Day
New Year's Day, celebrated across the United Kingdom on 1st January, marks the start of the calendar year with festive gatherings, sporting events and a nationwide public holiday.
History
For centuries, the civil legal year in England, Wales and Ireland began on 25th March (Lady Day). This changed following the passage of the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750, which brought Great Britain into line with the Gregorian calendar and officially designated 1st January 1752 as the start of the year. Scotland had already adopted 1st January as New Year's Day much earlier, in 1600 under King James VI.
Despite its place on the calendar, New Year's Day was not made a statutory holiday across the entire UK at once. Scotland officially recognized 1st January as a public bank holiday in the Bank Holidays Act 1871, reflecting the deep Scottish cultural importance of Hogmanay. In contrast, England, Wales and Northern Ireland did not establish New Year's Day as an official bank holiday until 1974.
Traditions & Celebrations
Across the UK, New Year's Day is observed through a blend of lively public events and quiet relaxation. Central London hosts the annual London New Year's Day Parade, featuring thousands of performers, street acts and international marching bands. Sports form a major part of the day, with full schedules of football matches and horse racing fixtures, such as the classic New Year's Day meeting at Cheltenham. Many people blow off the cobwebs with traditional outdoor activities, including brisk coastal walks or festive charity cold-water swims, while in Scotland and northern England, the custom of 'first-footing' continues as visitors bring good-luck tokens to friends and neighbours.
Did you know?
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland only introduced an official bank holiday on New Year's Day in 1974, over a century after Scotland established it in 1871.
- Great Britain formally moved the official start of the legal year from 25th March to 1st January in 1752, whereas Scotland had made the change in 1600.
- The London New Year's Day Parade was first staged in 1987 as the Lord Mayor of Westminster's Big Parade and has since grown into one of Europe's largest street pageants.
- When 1st January falls on a Saturday or Sunday, a substitute bank holiday is automatically created on the following Monday to preserve the public holiday entitlement.
New Year's Day dates by year
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Year's Day a bank holiday across the whole UK?
Yes, 1st January is a designated bank holiday in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. If it falls on a weekend, the next working day—typically the following Monday—becomes a substitute bank holiday.
Why is 2nd January also a bank holiday in Scotland?
Scotland gives strong cultural priority to midwinter and Hogmanay celebrations, leading Parliament to grant an additional statutory bank holiday on 2nd January in Scotland under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.
Are shops open on New Year's Day in the UK?
Many major supermarkets and large retail stores open under reduced trading hours, although independent shops generally stay closed. In Scotland, large commercial retailers face trading restrictions similar to those applied on Christmas Day.