Working Days Calculator (UK)
Count the working days between two dates, leaving out weekends and UK bank holidays for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
New: please check your results.
Uses UK bank holiday dates, last checked 26 October 2026. These can change, often at the Budget, so confirm with GOV.UK before relying on the result.
- Working days
- 23 days
- Weekdays (Mon–Fri)
- 23 days
- Bank holidays on weekdays
- 0 days
- Bank holidays in the period
- None
- Calendar days
- 31 days
What it does
Count the working days between two dates: every Monday to Friday, less the bank holidays. Choose England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, as their bank holidays differ. The start and end dates are both counted, and the bank holidays in the period are listed.
How to use it
- Start date
The first day to count. It starts as today.
- End date
The last day to count. Both the start and end dates are included if they're working days.
- Bank holidays for
Scotland and Northern Ireland have some different bank holidays from England and Wales.
Common uses
- Working out notice periods, deadlines and delivery times.
- Counting the days in a contract or invoice period.
- Counting calendar days instead. Try the Days Between Dates Calculator
- Working out pay for hours worked. Try the Hours Worked Calculator
The formula
Working days = weekdays in the period − bank holidays that fall on weekdaysWeekdays = Mondays to Fridays from the start date to the end date, both includedWhere:
- England and Wales
- 8 bank holidays a year
- Scotland
- 9: adds 2 January and St Andrew's Day, has no Easter Monday, and the summer holiday is in early August
- Northern Ireland
- 10: adds St Patrick's Day and the Battle of the Boyne
When a bank holiday falls at a weekend, the next working day becomes a substitute holiday. One-off holidays such as jubilees and the 2023 coronation are included. Covers 2000 to 2035; checked against GOV.UK's published lists.
Worked example
From 1 December 2026 to 31 December 2026 in England and Wales:
- Weekdays, both ends included: 23 days
- Less bank holidays on weekdays: 2 days (Christmas Day, 25 December 2026; Boxing Day (substitute), 28 December 2026)
- Working days: 21 days
Questions people ask
How many working days are there in a year?
Usually 252 to 254 in England and Wales: 260 or 261 weekdays, less 8 bank holidays. Scotland and Northern Ireland have one or two fewer because they have more bank holidays.
Are the start and end dates included?
Yes, both are counted if they're working days. Monday to Friday of the same week is 5 working days.
What happens when a bank holiday is at the weekend?
A substitute day is given, usually the following Monday. When Christmas Day and Boxing Day both fall at a weekend, the substitutes are the Monday and Tuesday after.
Last checked 26 October 2026