2026 has 365 days, 104 of them Saturdays and Sundays, which leaves 261 weekdays. Every 2026 bank holiday in every region falls on a weekday, so each one removes a working day: 8 in England and Wales, 10 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland.
How many working days are there in each month of 2026?
The table counts Monday to Friday in each month and subtracts the bank holidays of each region.
| Month | Weekdays | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| March | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
| April | 22 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
| May | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| July | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
| August | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| October | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| November | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 |
| December | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Total | 261 | 253 | 251 | 251 |
Monday to Friday, minus bank holidays that fall on a weekday. Source: GOV.UK bank holidays data, checked 4 November 2026.
In England and Wales, July is the longest working month with 23 days and May the shortest with 19, because of the two May bank holidays. December has 21 working days after Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and the Boxing Day substitute on Monday 28 December.
Why Scotland has fewer working days in 2026
Scotland usually has 9 bank holidays, but 2026 has 10. Monday 15 June 2026 was a one-off World Cup bank holiday, approved by royal proclamation. Without it, Scotland would have had 252 working days. Scotland also has 2 January and St Andrew’s Day (Monday 30 November 2026), but no Easter Monday.
Northern Ireland reaches 251 in a different way. It keeps the England and Wales list and adds St Patrick’s Day on Tuesday 17 March and the Battle of the Boyne holiday on Monday 13 July 2026.
Is a working day the same as a day at work?
Not necessarily. These totals are calendar counts for a full-time Monday-to-Friday week. Your own number of days at work also depends on annual leave, shift patterns and whether your employer gives the bank holidays off: GOV.UK states that bank holidays do not have to be given as paid leave. Contracts and deadlines can also define “working day” in their own way.
To count the working days between any two dates, for example from today to the end of 2026, use the working days calculator.
Sources: GOV.UK bank holidays data and Privy Council proclamations. Checked 4 November 2026.