Working Days Calculator
Count working days between two dates, excluding weekends and UK bank holidays by region. Useful for deadlines, project dates, notice periods and work planning.
Count working days between dates
Choose your start and end dates, then decide whether to exclude weekends, UK bank holidays and the start or end date.
How the working days calculation works
A working day is usually a weekday that is not excluded by weekends or selected bank holidays. This calculator checks each date in the range and counts only the days that pass your selected rules.
For each date in the selected range:
If the date is excluded by the weekend pattern → skip it
Else if the date is a selected UK bank holiday → skip it
Else → count it as a working dayThis is different from the days between dates calculator, which counts calendar days rather than workdays.
Should you include the start and end date?
There is no universal rule for every situation. Some deadlines start counting from the same day, while others start from the next day. Some include the final day, while others stop before it.
| Setting | Useful when | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Include start date | The start day itself should count if it is a working day. | A task opens at the start of that date. |
| Exclude start date | The clock starts after the start date. | A notice or deadline begins the day after a trigger. |
| Include end date | The final day is still available for action. | A deadline can be completed on the end date. |
| Exclude end date | You want days before an event starts. | Counting workdays until, but not including, a launch day. |
When in doubt, check the exact wording of the policy, contract or deadline instructions.
UK bank holiday regions
UK bank holidays are not identical across the whole country. England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank-holiday calendars, so the calculator lets you choose a region.
GOV.UK lists upcoming bank holidays separately for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and explains that if a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a substitute weekday normally becomes the bank holiday.
| Region | Remaining 2026 bank holidays after 20 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| England & Wales | 31 August, 25 December, 28 December |
| Scotland | 3 August, 30 November, 25 December, 28 December |
| Northern Ireland | 13 July, 31 August, 25 December, 28 December |
This calculator includes 2026, 2027 and 2028 bank holidays from the GOV.UK published calendar. Recheck official dates when planning future years.
Working days examples
Project deadline
If a project runs from Monday to Friday and excludes England and Wales bank holidays, select the region and the Saturday/Sunday weekend pattern. The result shows how many actual workdays are available.
Notice period estimate
For employment dates, use this page as a planning helper only. The notice period end date calculator is better for notice-specific scenarios, but your contract or written statement matters.
Holiday or leave planning
If you need to compare annual leave, bank holidays and working dates, you may also find the holiday entitlement calculator useful.
Working days FAQs
Do UK bank holidays count as working days?
Usually not if your workplace or deadline treats bank holidays as non-working days, but this depends on the context. Your employer does not automatically have to give paid leave on bank holidays.
Are working days the same as business days?
Often yes in everyday use, but “working day” and “business day” can have specific meanings in contracts, policies or official guidance.
Does this calculator include regional UK bank holidays?
Yes. You can choose England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. You can also choose to ignore bank holidays if they do not apply to your calculation.
Can I use this for employment notice periods?
Use it as an estimate only. Notice periods can depend on your contract, written statement, length of service and the reason the employment is ending.