Bank holiday opening

The UK bank holidays in 2026 are: 

• Friday 3 April - Good Friday
• Monday 6 April - Easter Monday
• Monday 4 May - Early May bank holiday
• Monday 25 May - Spring bank holiday
• Monday 31 August - Summer bank holiday
• Friday 25 December - Christmas Day
• Saturday 26 December - Boxing Day
• Friday 1 January 2027 – New Year's Day

Council offices and emergency contacts

Most council services are closed on bank holidays, but some services are available for emergencies, such as housing repairs and Adult Social Care.

There is a freephone outside Hove Town Hall on Norton Road, available 24 hours a day, if you have no other way of contacting those services in an emergency.

In case of emergency

When offices are closed, please use the following phone numbers:

• Adult Social Care: 01273 295 555
• Child Protection: 01273 335 905
• Highways emergencies: 01273 292 229
• Council tenant housing repairs: 01273 294 409
• Homelessness emergency: 01273 294 400 or 01273 295 555 out of hours and ask to speak with the duty Homeless Persons Officer
• Domestic abuse: Call the national Victim Support line on 0808 16 89 111. In an emergency, always call 999. 

Council help desk and homelessness help desk

Council help desks and Jubilee and Hove libraries and the homelessness help desk at Bartholomew House are closed on bank holidays. They're usually open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4.30pm. You can drop in to use self-help computers, scanners and telephones to contact council services.

If you need additional support to access council services, the staff will be able to signpost you to get the help that you need.  

Collections

Check your bin, box or caddy collection days.

As well as the day, you can now check the progress of your recycling, refuse, garden waste and food waste collections in real time. 

Report a missed bin, box or caddy collection 

If your rubbish, recycling, garden waste or your food waste caddy hasn't been collected, check the status of your collection before you report it. You can check your status in the same way you check your collection day.

If the status of your collection is ‘completed’ but a collection has not been made, you can report a missed collection, and we will investigate this.

Report a missed bin, box or caddy collection. 

Recycling sites

Check the recycling site opening times, including bank holidays.

Report an issue

Our online forms are the fastest and easiest way to report an issue with recycling and refuse.

• Report missed collections
• Report overflowing communal bins
• Request a street clean

Our how to help people living on the street page lets you:

• tell us if you're concerned about someone living on the street
• find out how you can help by volunteering or making a donation

All public libraries in Brighton & Hove are closed on bank holidays.

On the days we're closed, no items will be due back and any item can be returned via library book drops, where available.  

Our online services will be available and you can use our 24-hour renewal line 0303 123 0035.  

Find out more about Libraries Extra.

Parking restrictions stay the same over bank holidays unless the sign says 'except Bank Holidays'.

You can use our online services to:

• apply for a permit
• pay your penalty charge notice
• Find out how to appeal a penalty a charge notice

You can get amended bank holiday timetables and live travel updates from the following websites:

• Brighton & Hove buses
• Southern Rail
• Thameslink Railway
• National Rail

For more travel help and information go to the travel, transport and road safety pages.

Many NHS health services and pharmacies remain available over the bank holiday. Visit the NHS Sussex website for more information.

Remember that emergency departments (A&E) are just for emergencies such as life-threatening injuries or illnesses.

There are many different services that can help if you're feeling unwell ranging from self-care for common illnesses such as colds and flu, local pharmacy advice, phoning NHS 111 and your local GP surgery.

Find more advice and check which health service you might need on the NHS Sussex Get the Right Care webpage.

If you need medical help, advice or reassurance:

• phone NHS 111
• visit 111.nhs.uk

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, phone 999.
 

For details of the city's leisure centre opening times on bank holidays, visit Freedom Leisure's website.