How many working days are in a year?
In 2026 there are 253 working days in England and Wales: 261 weekdays, less 8 bank holidays that fall on a weekday. In 2027 there are 253.
Bank holidays from GOV.UK, checked 13 November 2026. Working days are Monday to Friday.
| Year | Weekdays | England and Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 261 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2020 | 262 | 254 | 253 | 252 |
| 2021 | 261 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2022 | 260 | 250 | 249 | 248 |
| 2023 | 260 | 251 | 250 | 249 |
| 2024 | 262 | 254 | 253 | 252 |
| 2025 | 261 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2026 | 261 | 253 | 251 | 251 |
| 2027 | 261 | 253 | 252 | 251 |
| 2028 | 260 | 252 | 251 | 250 |
How the count works
A year has 52 weeks and one or two days, so it has 260 to 262 weekdays, Monday to Friday. Take away the bank holidays that fall on a weekday. When a bank holiday falls at a weekend, GOV.UK lists a substitute day on the next weekday, and that is taken away instead. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank holidays, so their totals differ.
Your own working days
Your employer may give bank holidays as part of your holiday entitlement, or on top of it, and may close for more days. To count the working days between two dates, or for a different working week, use the working days calculator. For your holiday, use the holiday entitlement calculator.