Parliament Christmas Recess 2026: Last Sitting 17 Dec., Back 5 Jan.

Parliament’s Christmas recess 2026 runs from Friday 18 December 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027 for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, according to UK Parliament’s recess dates. Thursday 17 December is the last sitting day and the Parliament calendar lists Tuesday 5 January 2027 as the first sitting day back. Below are the Scottish Parliament, Senedd and Northern Ireland Assembly breaks beside it, the 2027 recesses to Whitsun and last year’s dates.

When does Parliament break for Christmas 2026?

UK Parliament’s data service lists a “Christmas recess 2026” for the Commons and the Lords with the same two dates: Friday 18 December 2026 and Monday 4 January 2027. The columns on those pages mark the first and last days when the House does not sit. The day pages on the same service confirm it:

Date	Commons	Lords
Thursday 17 December 2026	Sitting day	Sitting day
Friday 18 December 2026	Adjournment day (Christmas recess)	Adjournment day (Christmas recess)
Monday 4 January 2027	Adjournment day (Christmas recess)	Adjournment day (Christmas recess)
Tuesday 5 January 2027	Sitting day	Sitting day

That gives 18 days of recess from 18 December to 4 January, counting both ends and weekends. In 2025, UK Parliament listed the Christmas recess as Friday 19 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026, which is 17 days.

When does Parliament return in January 2027?

Both Houses are shown as sitting on Tuesday 5 January 2027. The recess table runs to Monday 4 January, and the calendar lists that day as an adjournment day for the Commons and the Lords. UK Parliament’s own pages are the reference for the return, so check the calendar again closer to the date.

How do the five Christmas breaks compare?

Each body sets its own break. Days off count from the first to the last recess day, both included.

Body	First recess day	Last recess day	Days
House of Commons	Fri. 18 Dec. 2026	Mon. 4 Jan. 2027	18
House of Lords	Fri. 18 Dec. 2026	Mon. 4 Jan. 2027	18
Scottish Parliament	19 Dec. 2026	3 Jan. 2027	16
Senedd	Mon. 21 Dec. 2026	Sun. 10 Jan. 2027	21
Northern Ireland Assembly	12 Dec. 2026	3 Jan. 2027	23

The Scottish Parliament lists its break as “Christmas recess 2026-27: 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027”. The Senedd lists “Monday 21 December 2026 - Sunday 10 January 2027” under confirmed recess dates. The Northern Ireland Assembly published “Christmas 2026: 12 December 2026 to 3 January 2027” in all-party notice (APN) 532 on 5 May 2026. The same notice lists a Business Committee on 5 January 2027 and a plenary sitting on 11 January 2027. The Scottish and Welsh sources give no return date, so none is given here.

Which recesses does Parliament list for 2027?

UK Parliament’s recess pages for the Commons and the Lords list these 2027 breaks:

Recess	First day	Last day	House
February recess 2027	Fri. 12 Feb. 2027	Sun. 21 Feb. 2027	Commons and Lords
Easter recess 2027	Fri. 26 March 2027	Sun. 11 April 2027	Commons and Lords
Whitsun recess 2027	Fri. 28 May 2027	Sun. 6 June 2027	Commons and Lords
Summer recess 2027	Thu. 29 July 2027	Sun. 5 Sept. 2027	Lords only

The Commons list has no summer 2027 row yet. Each recess runs to the Sunday shown, and the pages give no return dates, so none is inferred here. Of the bank holidays in 2027, Good Friday (26 March) and Easter Monday (29 March) fall in the Easter recess and the spring bank holiday (31 May) in the Whitsun recess; the Christmas bank holidays fall in the Christmas break.

Who decides the recess, and can it change?

The House agrees its Christmas adjournment on a motion. In the Commons debate of 4 December 2003, the record reads “Motion made, and Question put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 25 (Periodic Adjournments); Question agreed to.” Dates can change if the House is recalled or agrees new dates.

Canada runs a separate calendar: see the House of Commons of Canada sitting calendar for 2027.

Print the Christmas recess dates

The free one-page printable lists the Christmas breaks of all five bodies by date, with the 5 January return marked. Pair it with a December 2026 calendar and a January 2027 calendar.