UK Working Days Calculator
Count UK working days between any two dates with all 8 England and Wales bank holidays automatically excluded. Enter a start date and end date — get the exact working day count for contract deadlines, SLA windows, notice periods, and invoice payment terms.
Count working days in England & Wales with all bank holidays excluded — accurate for contract deadlines and project planning.
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Covers England & Wales bank holidays computed for any year. Bank holidays are calculated algorithmically: fixed-date holidays use observed rules (substitute Monday when a holiday falls on a weekend); Easter-based holidays (Good Friday, Easter Monday) are computed using the Gregorian algorithm. Scotland has 9 bank holidays and Northern Ireland has 10 — verify with GOV.UK for the current year.
Formula
Working Days = Weekdays − Bank holidays falling on weekdays
Count all Monday–Friday days in the range, then subtract England & Wales bank holidays that fall on those weekdays. If a bank holiday falls on a weekend, the substitute day (typically the following Monday) is the official bank holiday — this calculator uses the actual observed dates.
Worked Example
Scenario: A UK contractor agrees a 10 working day delivery window starting Tuesday 7 April 2026.
Easter Monday falls on 6 April 2026, so the window starts on Tuesday 7 April. The Early May Bank Holiday falls on Monday 4 May 2026.
Period: 7 Apr – 20 May 2026
Weekdays in range: 11 • Bank holidays on weekdays: 1 (Early May Bank Holiday, 4 May)
Working days = 11 − 1 = 10 working days
Deadline: Wednesday 20 May 2026
The Early May Bank Holiday and the Easter period can dramatically compress deadlines in late April and early May. Always check bank holiday dates when setting contractual timelines.
Common Mistakes
- Treating Scotland the same as England. Scotland has 9 bank holidays compared to England & Wales' 8. Scotland observes 2 January as a bank holiday and does not observe Easter Monday. Northern Ireland has 10 bank holidays — including St Patrick's Day and Battle of the Boyne.
- Missing the Easter window. Good Friday and Easter Monday are both bank holidays, meaning the UK loses up to 4 working days in a single week at Easter. Build in buffer for late March / early April deadlines.
- Overlooking the Christmas double bank holiday. Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both UK bank holidays. If either falls on a weekend, substitute days are declared.
- Using calendar days instead of working days for payment terms. UK commercial invoices commonly state Net 30 — this means 30 calendar days, not working days.
Guide
How to Use
- 1
Enter start and end dates
Select the period to measure. Both dates are inclusive in the calculation.
- 2
Use a quick preset
Click "This month", "This quarter", or "This year" to auto-fill common ranges.
- 3
Click Calculate
The tool counts Monday–Friday days and deducts England & Wales bank holidays.
- 4
Review excluded holidays
The result names any bank holidays excluded within your date range.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
What to do next
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Common questions
How many working days are in a UK working year?
There are typically 253 UK working days per year after excluding all 8 England and Wales bank holidays from the 261 available Mon–Fri weekdays. This figure varies slightly by year depending on which days public holidays fall on.
Which bank holidays are excluded from the UK working days count?
The 8 England and Wales bank holidays are: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
Does this calculator include Scottish or Northern Irish holidays?
This calculator uses England and Wales bank holidays only. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different schedules — Scotland includes St Andrew's Day as an additional bank holiday. Verify with official government sources for jurisdiction-specific counts.
What is the difference between working days and business days in the UK?
Working days and business days are used interchangeably in the UK — both mean Monday through Friday excluding bank holidays. Always check whether your contract or SLA specifies calendar days or working days.