Thanks Neil and Steve. Very helpful and just what I needed.

direct cut and paste from Steve Bull's suggested pages.

Public and bank holidays
You do not have a statutory right to paid leave on bank and public holidays. If your employer gives paid leave on a bank or public holiday, this can count towards your minimum holiday entitlement. There are eight permanent bank and public holidays in England and Wales (nine in Scotland and ten in Northern Ireland).

If you work on a bank or public holiday, there is no automatic right to an enhanced pay rate. What you get paid depends on your contract of employment.

If you are part time and your employer gives workers additional time off on bank holidays, this should be given pro rata to you as well, even if the bank holiday does not fall on your usual work day.

Emily,

All you need to know is here:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10029788

Steve

Hi Neil, do they have to pay an increased pay rate on a bank holiday or does it depend on t&c?

It's a bank holiday. Of course honouring a bank holiday sounds like you believe there may be a choice. The bank holiday isn't optional, it's a national holiday date. Queens 60 years celebration for 2012 gives us an extra bank holiday.

Was 2 Jan 2012 a Bank Holiday? If so. do companies have to honour it as such and pay an increased hourly rate as they did for Christmas Day and Boxing Day Bank Holidays?