Quick answer: Undas, also known as All Saints’ Day, falls on 1 November 2026, which lands on a Sunday. Filipino communities across the UK mark the occasion by visiting cemeteries, tidying graves, lighting candles and gathering with family, even from thousands of miles away. Because Undas isn’t a UK bank holiday, it’s one of the busiest periods for supporting relatives back home with cemetery costs, food and travel expenses.
For many Filipino families, Undas is one of the most meaningful dates on the calendar. It’s a time to remember loved ones who have passed, tend to their graves, and come together as a family. In the Philippines, this often means entire extended families gathering at cemeteries with candles, flowers and food. In the UK, where thousands of Filipinos have built new lives, the tradition looks a little different, but the sentiment remains just as strong.
This guide explains what Undas means, how the UK’s Filipino community observes it from afar, and what to keep in mind if you’re planning to support family back home around this time, including practical points about banking hours.
What is Undas, and why does it matter so much to Filipino families?
Undas is the Filipino term for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, observed on 1 and 2 November. Families visit the graves of relatives, clean and repaint tombstones, and spend hours, sometimes overnight, at the cemetery. Candles are lit, flowers are laid, and food is shared among relatives who often travel from different parts of the country, or the world, to be there together.
It’s as much a family reunion as it is a religious observance. Cemeteries across the Philippines become gathering points, with vendors selling candles, flowers and snacks, and families setting up small picnics beside the graves of their ancestors.
Why does Undas resonate so strongly with the UK’s Filipino community?
The UK is home to a substantial Filipino population, with many working in the National Health Service (NHS) and in social care. Filipino nurses and care workers have long formed one of the largest groups of internationally trained staff supporting the NHS, filling essential roles across hospitals and care homes throughout the country.
For those working long shifts far from home, Undas can bring a particular kind of longing. Many Filipino NHS and care staff aren’t able to fly back for the holiday itself, given shift patterns and annual leave constraints. Instead, they mark the occasion through video calls with family standing at a relative’s grave, by contributing financially to grave upkeep and family gatherings, or by joining Filipino community events and Masses held locally in the UK.
How do Filipinos in the UK observe Undas from a distance?
Even without a graveside to visit, UK-based Filipino communities find ways to honour the day:
- Attending Mass together. Filipino Catholic communities across UK cities often organise special Undas or All Souls’ Day services, sometimes followed by a shared meal.
- Video calls with family. It’s common for relatives abroad to join a video call while family in the Philippines are at the cemetery, offering a way to feel present even from afar.
- Community gatherings. Filipino associations and church groups in cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham frequently host Undas-themed get-togethers, featuring Filipino food, prayers and storytelling about relatives who have passed.
- Financial support for family back home. Many UK-based Filipinos help cover the costs of grave cleaning, candles, flowers and food for the family gathering, even if they can’t attend in person.
What should you know about banks and money transfers around Undas?
Because so many UK-based Filipinos support family back home for Undas, this period is one of the clearer sending peaks in the Philippine calendar each year. Costs add up quickly: grave maintenance, candles, fresh paint for tombstones, food for gathered relatives, and sometimes domestic travel for family members returning to their home province.
A few practical points are worth keeping in mind if you’re planning to send support around this time:
Undas isn’t a UK bank holiday. Banks and building societies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland operate on normal hours on 1 November, since All Saints’ Day isn’t recognised as a public holiday in the UK. That said, 1 November 2026 falls on a Sunday, so UK bank branches will be closed simply due to the regular weekend, not the holiday itself.
The Philippines treats Undas differently. All Saints’ Day is typically observed as a non-working holiday in the Philippines, which can affect the operating hours of banks and some cash pickup locations there. If you’re arranging support for family and want funds available before the holiday itself, it’s worth planning a few days ahead rather than leaving it until 31 October.
Demand tends to rise in the days beforehand. Since families often need funds for grave preparation and gatherings before 1 November, many people choose to send support in the final week of October rather than on the day itself.
Small gestures that carry weight
Undas isn’t only about the money spent on candles or grave upkeep. It’s about presence, even when physical distance makes that impossible. A video call at the right moment, a contribution towards flowers, or simply asking a parent how the grave looked this year can mean a great deal to family separated by geography but connected by memory.
For the UK’s Filipino community, many of whom are working demanding shifts in hospitals and care homes, Undas is a reminder of why they left home in the first place, and a chance, even briefly, to reconnect with the people and traditions that shaped them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Undas in 2026?
Undas, encompassing All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, falls on 1 and 2 November 2026. In 2026, 1 November lands on a Sunday.
Is Undas a public holiday in the UK?
No. All Saints’ Day isn’t recognised as a bank holiday in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so UK banks and businesses operate on their usual schedules, aside from the regular weekend closure in 2026.
Are banks in the Philippines closed for Undas?
All Saints’ Day is typically treated as a non-working holiday in the Philippines, which can affect the hours of banks and certain cash pickup locations. It’s sensible to plan ahead if you’re arranging support for family before the holiday itself.
Why is Undas a significant period for Filipinos working in the UK?
The UK’s Filipino community is heavily represented in NHS and social care roles, and many are unable to travel home for Undas due to work commitments. As a result, they often mark the day through video calls, local community gatherings, and by contributing to grave upkeep and family costs back home.
What do Filipino families typically do to prepare for Undas?
Preparation usually includes cleaning and repainting graves, buying candles and flowers, and arranging food for family gatherings at the cemetery. Many of these costs are covered in the days leading up to 1 November.
Honouring the day, wherever you are
Undas is a reminder that distance doesn’t diminish devotion. Whether it’s joining a Mass in London, video-calling relatives at a grave in Manila, or simply setting aside a moment to remember, the UK’s Filipino community finds meaningful ways to mark the occasion each year. Planning ahead, particularly around banking hours on both ends, can make it easier to focus on what matters most: family, memory and connection.
