When Is Easter This Year – April 5 2026 and Future Dates Guide

Easter Sunday is the most important date in the Christian calendar, but unlike Christmas it does not fall on a fixed day. In 2026, Easter Sunday will be observed on April 5, marking a shift from the previous year. The date is determined by a combination of lunar cycles and ecclesiastical rules that have been in place for nearly 1,700 years.

For those planning holidays, travel, or simply looking to mark the calendar, knowing when Easter falls each year is essential. The holiday not only affects church services and family gatherings but also determines when UK bank holidays—Good Friday and Easter Monday—occur.

The following guide provides confirmed dates for 2026 and 2027, a look at future Easter Sundays through 2041, and a clear explanation of why the date moves each year.

When is Easter This Year? (2026)

Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on April 5. Good Friday will be observed on April 3, and Easter Monday on April 6. This represents a shift of two weeks earlier than Easter 2025, which fell on April 20, according to Time Out.

The spring equinox in 2026 occurs on March 20. The first full moon after that date—known as the Paschal Full Moon or Pink Moon—takes place on April 2. Easter Sunday is then set as the first Sunday after that full moon, which lands on April 5.

• Easter’s date is tied to the lunar calendar, making it a movable feast that shifts each year.
• Easter Sunday in 2026 falls on April 5, two weeks earlier than in 2025.
• The next early Easter on March 22 will not occur until 2285; the last late Easter on April 25 was in 1943.
• In the UK, Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays, but Easter Sunday is not a bank holiday.
• Easter 2027 falls on March 28, which can create 10 bank holidays in some UK leave years running from April 2026 to March 2027.
• The Paschal Full Moon used for the calculation can differ from the astronomical full moon by up to two days.
• Easter dates repeat approximately every 5.7 million years due to the complexity of lunar-solar cycles.

When is Easter in 2027 and Future Years?

Easter Sunday in 2027 will be observed on March 28. Good Friday falls on March 26, and Easter Monday on March 29. The Paschal Full Moon for 2027 occurs on March 27, with Easter Sunday following the next day.

The 2027 Easter date is notably early in the calendar and sits within the March 22–April 25 range. According to the REC and Kea HR, this early Easter leads to 10 bank holidays in some UK leave years—specifically the period from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027—compared to the typical eight. This can affect annual leave calculations for employees whose contracts tie holidays to named dates.

Easter 2028 and 2029

Easter Sunday in 2028 falls on April 16, with Good Friday on April 14. In 2029, Easter Sunday is April 1, with Good Friday on March 30. Both dates fall within the typical mid-to-late March and April window and are consistent with the astronomical calculation method.

Easter in the 2030s

The 2030s bring a mix of early and mid-April dates. Easter Sunday in 2030 lands on April 21. In 2031 it is April 13, followed by March 28 in 2032, April 17 in 2033, and April 9 in 2034. A notably early Easter occurs in 2035, when Easter Sunday falls on March 25. The decade closes with Easter on April 13 in 2036, April 5 in 2037, April 25 in 2038, April 10 in 2039, and April 1 in 2040. Easter 2041 falls on April 21.

Why Does the Date of Easter Change Every Year?

Easter is a movable feast because its date is tied to the lunar calendar rather than a fixed day on the solar calendar. The rules were established by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD for Western churches, including the Anglican Church in the UK.

The calculation uses three key elements. First, the ecclesiastical spring equinox is fixed at March 21, which approximates the astronomical equinox that usually falls on March 20 or 21. Second, the Paschal Full Moon is defined as the 14th day of the lunar month beginning on that equinox. Third, Easter Sunday is set as the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon—it never falls on the full moon itself.

The Role of the Paschal Full Moon

The Paschal Full Moon is not necessarily the same as the astronomical full moon. It is determined using ecclesiastical tables based on the metonic cycle, which uses Golden Numbers and Epact tables to align lunar and solar years. This can result in a difference of up to two days from the true astronomical full moon, but the method ensures unity across churches that follow the Gregorian calendar.

The Gauss Algorithm

A simplified version of the Gauss algorithm can compute the date of Easter for any given year. The algorithm uses modular arithmetic and a series of variables derived from the year number. For 2026, the calculation yields a Paschal Full Moon on April 2 (ecclesiastical), with the following Sunday—April 5—becoming Easter Sunday. For 2027, the Paschal Full Moon is March 27, and Easter Sunday is March 28.

The Royal Observatory Greenwich explains that Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25, but determining the exact Sunday requires an astronomical calculation. The UK adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, which brought the ecclesiastical calculation into line with the solar year more accurately than the earlier Julian system.

Is Easter Monday a Bank Holiday? Are Shops Open on Easter Sunday?

In England and Wales, both Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays. Easter Sunday is not a bank holiday in the UK. This distinction matters for employers, schools, and anyone planning time off.

UK Bank Holidays at Easter 2026

The 2026 bank holiday schedule includes Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6, creating a four-day weekend from Friday to Monday. The full set of eight bank holidays in 2026 for England and Wales also includes New Year’s Day on January 1, Early May on May 4, Spring on May 25, Summer on August 31, Christmas Day on December 25, and Boxing Day (substitute) on December 28. These dates are confirmed by GOV.UK.

UK Bank Holidays at Easter 2027

In 2027, Good Friday is March 26 and Easter Monday is March 29. The remaining bank holidays for the year include New Year’s Day on January 1, Early May on May 3, Spring on May 31, Summer on August 30, Christmas (substitute) on December 27, and Boxing (substitute) on December 28. Again, the total is eight holidays. However, Which? notes that Scotland may not observe Easter Monday universally.

The leave year from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 spans 10 bank holidays—seven from 2026, plus the two Easter holidays from 2027 and New Year’s Day 2027. This is two more than a typical year and can affect how annual leave allowances are calculated, particularly for employees whose contracts reference specific named bank holidays.

Are Shops Open on Easter Sunday?

In the UK, Easter Sunday is not a bank holiday, but many shops operate with restricted hours. Large stores in England and Wales are subject to trading laws that limit opening hours on Easter Sunday, typically allowing them to open for six hours between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Smaller shops and businesses may choose their own hours. The exact rules vary by region, so checking local guidance is recommended.

What Are the Easter Dates for the Next Decade?

For those planning years ahead, the following list provides confirmed Easter Sunday dates from 2026 through 2041. These dates are calculated using the established computus method and are consistent across official sources including the Wikipedia list of dates for Easter and the NHS Employee Helpdesk.

1. 2026 – April 5
2. 2027 – March 28
3. 2028 – April 16
4. 2029 – April 1
5. 2030 – April 21
6. 2031 – April 13
7. 2032 – March 28
8. 2033 – April 17
9. 2034 – April 9
10. 2035 – March 25

The pattern continues through 2036 (April 13), 2037 (April 5), 2038 (April 25), 2039 (April 10), 2040 (April 1), and 2041 (April 21). The earliest date in this range is March 25 (2035), and the latest is April 25 (2038), which is the latest possible date for Easter Sunday.

How Certain Are Future Easter Dates?

When Does Spring Start in the UK?

In the UK, spring is defined in two ways. Meteorological spring begins on March 1 each year and is based on the calendar months. Astronomical spring, also known as the vernal equinox, usually occurs on March 20 or 21—the moment when day and night are nearly equal in length.

The connection to Easter is direct: the ecclesiastical rule set by the Council of Nicaea fixes the spring equinox at March 21 for the purpose of calculating Easter. This approximation allows the date of Easter to be determined without requiring real-time astronomical observation each year. The actual astronomical equinox in 2026 occurs on March 20, one day before the ecclesiastical date.

This relationship between the equinox and the Paschal Full Moon means that Easter almost always falls within the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere. The earliest possible Easter—March 22—coincides with the very start of spring, while the latest—April 25—falls well into the season.

Where Are Official Easter and Bank Holiday Dates Published?

The most authoritative source for UK bank holiday dates is GOV.UK, which publishes official lists for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The Debt Management Office also maintains a historical and future spreadsheet of UK bank holidays.

“Easter falls on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April, but working out which Sunday exactly requires an astronomical calculation.”

— Royal Observatory Greenwich

“Easter 2026 falls on April 5. Learn why Easter’s date changes every year, how the Moon and Paschal Full Moon determine Easter Sunday.”

— The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Additional reliable sources include the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, and the NHS Employee Helpdesk, which provides forward-looking bank holiday dates for NHS staff planning. These sources are consistent with each other for all dates through 2041, with no discrepancies found across the official and independent references consulted.

What to Remember About Easter Dates in 2026 and Beyond

Easter Sunday in 2026 is April 5, followed by March 28 in 2027. The date moves because it is tied to the Paschal Full Moon after the spring equinox. In the UK, Good Friday and Easter Monday are bank holidays, while Easter Sunday is not. For those planning ahead, the full set of dates from 2026 to 2041 provides a reliable reference. For more on how these dates are calculated and how they affect UK holidays, see Easter Dates 2026-2027 and UK Bank Holidays: Dates, Calculation, and Paschal Full Moon Explained.

Frequently Asked Questions About Easter Dates