Queen's funeral bank holiday working rules explained as government issues guidance

The state funeral at Westminster Abbey will be followed by further services at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on the same day.

The date and details were announced by Buckingham Palace on Saturday evening, hours after King Charles approved the proclamation to make the day of his mother's funeral a bank holiday across the UK.

Schools will close on the day of the funeral, while the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has issued information and guidance for businesses and employees for September 19.

"This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations to pay their respects to Her Majesty and commemorate Her reign, while marking the final day of the period of national mourning," the government department said.

"This bank holiday will operate in the same way as other bank holidays, and there is no statutory entitlement to time off. Employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement."

Explaining the reason for making the date of the Queen's funeral a bank holiday, while the funeral of her father - King George VI - was not a bank holiday, the government said it "wants to help give as many people as possible the opportunity on the day of the State Funeral to mark Her Majesty’s passing and commemorate Her reign".

Can workers have the day off?

In its statement, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said described the bank holiday as a "unique national moment".

"We would encourage employers to respond sensitively to requests from workers who wish to take time off," the department's statement said.

However, the government has said that whether staff get the day off is a "matter for discussion between individuals and their employer".

"There is no statutory entitlement to time off for bank holidays, but employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement.

"The government cannot interfere in existing contractual arrangements between employers and workers. However, we would expect that many workers will be able to take the day off on the bank holiday. We also expect employers to respond sensitively to requests from workers who wish to take the day of the funeral off work."

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy also says that individuals and their employers will also need to discuss whether staff contracted to work some Saturdays and bank holidays, as well as those who want to know if they're entitled to another day off in return for working the day of the funeral.

The same applies to anyone who has booked off September 19 and wants to claim it back.

When it comes to being paid extra, the government adds: "This is a matter for discussion between you and your employer. There are no statutory rules regarding extra pay on bank holidays."

Future bank holidays

The government has said there is no decision yet on whether the day of King Charles' Coronation - which so far has no date - will be a bank holiday.

There are also "currently no plans" for an annual holiday to mark the Queen's funeral.