What is a working day?
A working day is a day when work or business is normally carried out. In many UK date calculations, this means Monday to Friday, excluding weekends and sometimes bank holidays.
A working day is a day that normally counts as a work or business day. In the UK, this usually means Monday to Friday, but some rules also exclude public holidays, and some workplaces have different shift patterns.
This matters because a deadline stated in working days is usually counted differently from one stated in calendar days. For UK calculations, you may also need to check whether a bank holiday should be excluded.
Why working days matter
Working days are used when the count should skip days when most offices, banks or organisations are not normally operating. That can change a deadline quite a lot.
For example, five calendar days from a Friday reaches the following Wednesday. Five working days from a Friday may reach the following Friday or later, depending on whether the start date, weekends and bank holidays are counted.
Count UK working days
Use the working days calculator to exclude weekends and selected UK bank holidays.
Working days vs calendar days
The difference is simple: calendar days count every date, while working days usually count only the dates that qualify as business or work days.
| Term | What it usually includes | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar day | Every date on the calendar, including weekends and bank holidays. | Simple date duration, countdowns and age calculations. |
| Working day | Usually Monday to Friday, often excluding bank holidays if the rule says so. | Business deadlines, service-level timelines, payroll cut-offs and some notice calculations. |
Do not assume working days and weekdays always mean exactly the same thing. Some organisations work weekends, some contracts define working days differently, and public holidays can be handled differently by region.
UK bank holidays and working days
UK working-day calculations often need a regional bank-holiday check. GOV.UK publishes separate bank-holiday calendars for England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and it explains that a substitute weekday is normally used when a bank holiday falls on a weekend.
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland do not always share the same bank holidays. A working-day count should use the right region for the deadline you are calculating.
For simple personal planning, a Monday-to-Friday count may be enough. For employment, legal, tax or service deadlines, check the wording and source calendar before relying on the result.
Worked example
Imagine a deadline says you have five working days from Monday.
Start date: Monday
Rule: 5 working days
Weekend days: skipped
Bank holidays: skipped only if the rule excludes them
Likely result: the following Monday if you exclude the start dayThe answer can change if the start date counts as day one, if a bank holiday falls inside the period, or if the contract defines working days differently.
Common uses of working days
- Estimating delivery or service response times.
- Counting business deadlines and turnaround times.
- Planning notice periods where the wording uses working days.
- Counting payroll, HR or timesheet deadlines.
- Comparing a working-day deadline with a calendar-day deadline.
A calculator can handle the date count, but it cannot decide which legal, contract or workplace rule applies. Always check the wording of the document you are relying on.
Working day FAQs
Does a working day include weekends?
Usually no. In most UK office-style date calculations, working days mean Monday to Friday. But some workplaces operate different shift patterns, so always check the wording.
Does a working day include bank holidays?
Often no, but it depends on the rule. Some deadlines exclude bank holidays, while others may simply refer to weekdays. Use the wording given and the relevant UK region.
Is a working day the same as a business day?
They are often used in a similar way, but the exact meaning depends on the contract, service terms or policy. Do not rely on the phrase alone if the deadline is important.
Do working days matter for notice periods?
Sometimes. Many notice periods are written in calendar days, weeks or months, but some workplace rules refer to working days. Acas recommends checking the contract or written statement when working out notice.
Sources and notes
- GOV.UK bank holidays — regional UK bank-holiday calendars and substitute-day wording.
- Acas notice periods — notice-period guidance and contract wording context.