How the working days calculator works
The calculator goes through every date in your range and counts Monday to Friday as working days, then takes out any bank holidays for the part of the UK you pick. By default it counts both the start date and the end date, which is how most people count a notice period or a project deadline. Untick the box to leave the end date out.
Bank holidays differ across the UK. Scotland has 2 January, St Andrew's Day and an early August summer holiday but no Easter Monday. Northern Ireland adds St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne. The dates built in come from GOV.UK and include substitute days, such as Monday 28 December 2026 when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.
How many working days are there in 2026?
2026 has 365 days, 104 of them weekend days, leaving 261 weekdays. Taking out bank holidays gives:
| Year | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2026 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2027 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
All three years have 261 weekdays and every bank holiday falls on a weekday (or has a weekday substitute), so England and Wales loses 8 days, Scotland 9 and Northern Ireland 10.
Working days per month in 2026 (England and Wales)
| Month | Working days | Month | Working days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | July | 23 |
| February | 20 | August | 20 |
| March | 22 | September | 22 |
| April | 20 | October | 22 |
| May | 19 | November | 21 |
| June | 22 | December | 21 |
The figures change slightly elsewhere. April 2026 has 21 working days in Scotland, as Easter Monday isn't a bank holiday there, and July 2026 has 22 in Northern Ireland because of the Boyne holiday on Monday 13 July.
UK bank holidays in 2026
| Date | Holiday | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 January | New Year's Day | All |
| Fri 2 January | 2nd January | Scotland |
| Tue 17 March | St Patrick's Day | Northern Ireland |
| Fri 3 April | Good Friday | All |
| Mon 6 April | Easter Monday | England, Wales, NI |
| Mon 4 May | Early May bank holiday | All |
| Mon 25 May | Spring bank holiday | All |
| Mon 13 July | Battle of the Boyne (substitute) | Northern Ireland |
| Mon 3 August | Summer bank holiday | Scotland |
| Mon 31 August | Summer bank holiday | England, Wales, NI |
| Mon 30 November | St Andrew's Day | Scotland |
| Fri 25 December | Christmas Day | All |
| Mon 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute) | All |
In 2027, Easter is early: Good Friday is 26 March and Easter Monday 29 March. Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall at the weekend, so the bank holidays are Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December 2027.
Worked example: a one-month notice period
You hand in your notice on Wednesday 1 April 2026 and finish on Thursday 30 April. Counting both dates, that's 30 calendar days, 8 of them weekend days. In England and Wales, Good Friday and Easter Monday come out too, leaving 20 working days. In Scotland only Good Friday is a bank holiday, so it's 21.
Tips
- Bank holidays aren't automatically paid days off. Your contract decides whether they're part of your holiday allowance. Check yours with the holiday entitlement calculator.
- Use "Take off annual leave" to see how many days you'll actually be at work, which helps with pro rata pay and project planning. The pro rata salary calculator turns days into pay.
- Need calendar days, or to add a number of days to a date? Use the date calculator.
- Local holidays, such as some Scottish town holidays, aren't included.
Frequently asked questions
How many working days are there in 2026?
There are 253 working days in 2026 in England and Wales, 252 in Scotland and 251 in Northern Ireland, once weekends and bank holidays are taken out of the 261 weekdays.
How many working days are in a year in the UK?
There are usually 260 or 261 weekdays in a year. Taking out 8 bank holidays in England and Wales leaves 252 or 253 working days, which is 253 in each of 2025, 2026 and 2027.
Does the calculator count the start and end date?
Yes, by default it counts both, so Monday to Friday of the same week is 5 working days. Untick the box to leave the end date out.
How many bank holidays are there in Scotland?
Scotland has 9 bank holidays in 2026, including 2 January, the first Monday in August and St Andrew's Day, but not Easter Monday.
What is the next bank holiday in England?
After the summer bank holiday on 31 August 2026, the next ones in England and Wales are Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and Boxing Day, moved to Monday 28 December 2026.
Last reviewed October 2026 using 2026/27 figures. This calculator gives an estimate for guidance only.