253 working days in the United Kingdom in 2026
2026 has 261 weekdays (Monday to Friday). In the United Kingdom, 8 bank holidays fall on one of them (New Year’s Day on Thursday, January 1, Good Friday on Friday, April 3, Easter Monday on Monday, April 6, Early May bank holiday on Monday, May 4, Spring bank holiday on Monday, May 25, Summer bank holiday on Monday, August 31, Christmas Day on Friday, December 25 and Boxing Day (substitute day) on Monday, December 28), which leaves 253 working days. The count uses the bank holidays of England and Wales, substitute days included. For Scotland, swap Easter Monday and the late August bank holiday for January 2, the first Monday of August and St Andrew’s Day; for Northern Ireland, add St Patrick’s Day and July 12. Scotland also had a one-off bank holiday on June 15, 2026 for the World Cup.
Working days per month in 2026
| Month | Working days | Holidays on weekdays |
|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | January 1: New Year’s Day |
| February | 20 | None |
| March | 22 | None |
| April | 20 | April 3: Good Friday · April 6: Easter Monday |
| May | 19 | May 4: Early May bank holiday · May 25: Spring bank holiday |
| June | 22 | None |
| July | 23 | None |
| August | 20 | August 31: Summer bank holiday |
| September | 22 | None |
| October | 22 | None |
| November | 21 | None |
| December | 21 | December 25: Christmas Day · December 28: Boxing Day (substitute day) |
| Year | 253 | 8 |
The busiest month is July with 23 working days; the lightest, May with 19.
By quarter and half-year
First quarter: 63 working days. Second quarter: 61. Third quarter: 65. Fourth quarter: 64. That makes 124 working days in the first half of 2026 and 129 in the second.
Working hours in 2026
At 8 hours a day, 253 working days come to 2,024 hours; at 7.5 hours, 1,897.5 hours; at 7 hours, 1,771 hours. Paid vacation is not deducted: 10 days off take away 80 hours at 8 hours a day.
2026 and 2027 compared
2026 and 2027 have the same number of working days in the United Kingdom: 253. See working days in the United Kingdom in 2027 and the full list of UK bank holidays 2026, with long weekends and bridge days.
To count the business days between two dates of your choice, use the calculator at the top of this page, set to the United Kingdom. The 2026 calendar shows the whole year on one page.