How many business days in 2026 in the United Kingdom?
The United Kingdom has 253 business days in 2026. The year has 365 days — 104 fall on weekends and 8 bank holidays (England & Wales) land on a weekday, leaving 253 working days for a standard Monday-to-Friday schedule.
Business days in 2026 by month — United Kingdom
| Month | Total Days | Weekends | Holidays | Business Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 | 9 | 1 | 21 |
| February | 28 | 8 | 0 | 20 |
| March | 31 | 9 | 0 | 22 |
| April | 30 | 8 | 2 | 20 |
| May | 31 | 10 | 2 | 19 |
| June | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| July | 31 | 8 | 0 | 23 |
| August | 31 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| September | 30 | 8 | 0 | 22 |
| October | 31 | 9 | 0 | 22 |
| November | 30 | 9 | 0 | 21 |
| December | 31 | 8 | 2 | 21 |
| Total 2026 | 365 | 104 | 8 | 253 |
UK Bank Holidays in 2026 (England & Wales)
- New Year's Day — Thursday, January 1
- Good Friday — Friday, April 3
- Easter Monday — Monday, April 6
- Early May Bank Holiday — Monday, May 4
- Spring Bank Holiday — Monday, May 25
- Summer Bank Holiday — Monday, August 31
- Christmas Day — Friday, December 25
- Boxing Day (substitute) — Monday, December 28 (December 26 falls on a Saturday)
Note: Scotland and Northern Ireland observe a slightly different bank holiday calendar (e.g. St Andrew's Day, 2 January in Scotland). Use the calculator below to adjust for regional holidays.
Business days per quarter in 2026 — United Kingdom
| Quarter | Months | Business Days |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Jan – Mar | 63 |
| Q2 | Apr – Jun | 61 |
| Q3 | Jul – Sep | 65 |
| Q4 | Oct – Dec | 64 |
Planning the 2026 UK business calendar
The 2026 UK bank holiday calendar has a few quirks worth planning around.
May is the lightest month, with just 19 working days. Both the Early May bank holiday (May 4) and the Spring bank holiday (May 25) fall in the same month, each creating a long weekend.
Boxing Day shifts to Monday, December 28. Since December 26 falls on a Saturday, the substitute bank holiday moves to the following Monday — meaning the office is effectively closed from December 25 through the New Year for many UK businesses.
Easter falls early in April. Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6) bookend the same long weekend, reducing April to 20 working days.
July leads with 23 working days — the most productive month of the year, with no bank holidays at all.
Scotland and Northern Ireland differences
England and Wales share the same 8 bank holidays. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own variations:
- Scotland — observes 2 January instead of Easter Monday, and St Andrew's Day (November 30) instead of the August Summer bank holiday (which falls on the first Monday in Scotland, not the last).
- Northern Ireland — adds St Patrick's Day (March 17) and the Battle of the Boyne / Orangemen's Day (July 12) to the England & Wales list.
Use the calculator below to adjust for your region's specific holidays and get an exact count for your date range.