How many working days are there in 2026?
2026 has 261 weekdays (Monday to Friday). After public holidays that fall on a weekday, there are 253 working days in England and Wales, 250 in the US (federal holidays) and 255 in the Netherlands. Count the working days between any two dates with the working days calculator.
Working days per month in 2026
| Month | Weekdays | England & Wales | US (federal) | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 |
| March | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| April | 22 | 20 | 22 | 20 |
| May | 21 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| July | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 |
| August | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| October | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 |
| November | 21 | 21 | 19 | 21 |
| December | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
| Total | 261 | 253 | 250 | 255 |
Bank holidays in England and Wales, 2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January | New Year's Day |
| Friday 3 April | Good Friday |
| Monday 6 April | Easter Monday |
| Monday 4 May | Early May bank holiday |
| Monday 25 May | Spring bank holiday |
| Monday 31 August | Summer bank holiday |
| Friday 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Monday 28 December | Boxing Day (substitute day) |
Boxing Day, 26 December, falls on a Saturday in 2026, so the bank holiday moves to Monday 28 December. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different bank holidays, so their totals differ.
US federal holidays, 2026
Eleven federal holidays fall on a weekday in 2026: New Year's Day (1 Jan), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (19 Jan), Washington's Birthday (16 Feb), Memorial Day (25 May), Juneteenth (19 Jun), Independence Day observed (Friday 3 Jul, because 4 July is a Saturday), Labor Day (7 Sep), Columbus Day (12 Oct), Veterans Day (11 Nov), Thanksgiving (26 Nov) and Christmas Day (25 Dec).
Federal holidays apply to federal employees; private employers decide which days they give off. Many businesses stay open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, which would add two working days.
Working days and paid leave
Working days are not the same as days actually worked. A UK full-timer with the statutory 28 days of holiday, including the 8 bank holidays, works 261 − 28 = 233 days in 2026. A US employee with 10 federal holidays off and 15 days of paid time off works about 236 days.
Uses for the number
- Daily rates: a freelancer charging £400 a day for 220 billable days earns £88,000 before expenses.
- Pro-rata salaries and leave when starting or leaving mid-year.
- Deadlines and delivery times in business days, which skip weekends and holidays.
- Payroll for hourly workers: 22 working days × 8 hours = 176 hours in October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many working days are in 2026 in the UK?
253 in England and Wales: 261 weekdays minus 8 bank holidays. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ slightly.
How many business days are in 2026 in the US?
250, counting the 11 federal holidays that fall on a weekday. If your employer is open on some federal holidays, you have more.
How many weekdays are in 2026?
- The year starts on a Thursday and is not a leap year, so it has 52 full weeks plus one extra Thursday.
Does the calculator include holidays?
Yes. Choose the UK, US or the Netherlands and the public holidays for that country are skipped automatically.