UK flag days 2026 and 2027

The UK has designated days on which the Union Flag must be flown on UK government buildings “by command of His Majesty The King”, in the words of the government’s guidance. The list is published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and changes with the royal family: birthdays, the coronation and the accession follow the current monarch. Beyond these days, the government encourages UK government buildings to fly the Union Flag all year round, and local authorities and other organisations to follow suit if they wish.

The designated days

The government’s 2026 list contains the following days:

In addition, flags are flown on the day of the State Opening of a session of Parliament and on the day of its prorogation, even if the King does not perform the ceremony in person. According to the guidance, these flags need to be flown in the Greater London area.

All dates for 2026 and 2027

The table shows the designated days with their dates. The 2026 dates follow the government’s published list. The 2027 dates are projected from the same list; the King’s Official Birthday is shown as to be announced until the date is set.

Scotland

The Scottish Government issues its own flag flying guidance for Scottish Government buildings each year. The 2026 guidance states that the Saltire, the European flag and the Ukrainian flag are flown every day from St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh. It also lists occasions for other flags, such as the Commonwealth flag on Commonwealth Day and the Armed Forces Day flag on Armed Forces Day, and for flying flags at half-mast. The guidance applies to the Scottish Government and its agencies; local authority buildings and schools decide for themselves.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, flag flying on government buildings is governed by legislation. The Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 set out the government buildings at which the Union Flag is flown, the days on which it is flown, and how: at full mast, from 8am until sunset. They also provide for half-mast following the death of a member of the Royal Family or of a serving or former Prime Minister, on days notified in the Belfast Gazette. Under regulation 9, no flag may be flown at a government building except as the regulations provide.

Other days on which flags are often flown

Many organisations fly flags on days that are not designated days for government buildings. Examples include Armed Forces Day, for which a special flag exists and which the planning regulations in England list among the flags that need no consent, county days with their own county flags, and local events. The Flag Institute publishes a calendar of flag flying days, including county flag days. Ideas for other occasions are in the guide to flying flags on special occasions; the half-mast rules are in the guide to half-mast.