Everyone who might need to work Christmas Day this yr

You could have to work on December 25 and not even for any extra pay

Christmas Day is always a bank holiday, except when it lands on a Saturday or Sunday. Should this happen, the bank holiday gets transferred to a “substitute” weekday.

This same rule applies to Boxing Day, which will see its bank holiday “shift” to December 28 in 2026, owing to it falling on a Saturday. And in 2027, Christmas Day will also “shift” for the same reason. While most people get Christmas Day off work, this isn’t always guaranteed, and your employer has no legal duty to grant you the day off.

Whether you get Christmas Day off will ultimately depend on several factors, and if you’re required to work, you’re not automatically entitled to any extra pay either. If bank holidays aren’t included in your standard time off, you can be made to work Christmas Day.

Certain industries, including pubs and restaurants, stay open on bank holidays as these often represent their busiest trading days. If you work in such an establishment, it’s likely your employer will need all staff available to cope with the influx of customers.

According to Redmans Solicitors, however, one piece of legislation may shield shop workers from being made to work on December 25. Under the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004, shops larger than 280 square metres are banned from trading on Christmas Day.

The experts also highlight that there’s a common misunderstanding that Christians would be exempt from working on Christmas Day on religious grounds, though this isn’t actually true. If you’re contractually obliged to work on Christmas Day, refusing to do so could lead to dismissal.

If you don’t automatically get Christmas Day off, you can try to request it as annual leave, or organise a shift swap with a colleague. At the end of the day, there’s no legal requirement for employers to give staff the day off on bank holidays.

If you’re unsure whether bank holidays are included in your holiday allowance, you’ll need to check your employment contract. Whether or not you’ll have December 25 off work hinges on your employer and your contract.