A UK holiday countdown
New Year is getting closer.
New Year's Day starts on 1st January. Celebrations begin the night before, with many people staying up to welcome the new year at midnight.
Dates for 2026 to 2028 are listed below
New Year's Day
New Year's Eve leads into the new year at midnight on 31 December. Other calendars and cultures mark the new year on different dates.
About New Year
The month of January is named after Janus, the Roman god of doorways and beginnings, and Julius Caesar fixed 1 January as the start of the year in 45 BC. Britain did not move the legal new year from 25 March to 1 January until 1752. In Scotland, Hogmanay includes first-footing, where the first visitor of the year brings gifts, and many people sing Auld Lang Syne.
When is New Year?
New Year's Day is fixed on 1 January in the Gregorian calendar, so it falls on a different weekday each year in all the listed regions.
| Calendar | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All calendars | Thursday 1 January 2026 | Friday 1 January 2027 | Saturday 1 January 2028 |
Planning around New Year
Many shops, pharmacies and services are closed or on reduced hours on 1 January, and public transport runs limited timetables, so stock up and check opening times beforehand. Work out shifts and childcare cover with the free shift planner, or browse every holiday countdown.
New Year questions
How many days until New Year?
The live counter at the top of this page shows the days, hours, minutes and seconds left until the next New Year, using the time zone you choose. The dates for 2026 to 2028 are in the table above.
When is New Year in 2027?
New Year falls on Friday 1 January 2027 in the United Kingdom.
Is 2 January a bank holiday in the UK?
In Scotland, yes: 2 January is a bank holiday every year, making a two-day break. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland only 1 January is, with a substitute day when it falls on a weekend.