Complaint deadlines: working days and response dates

Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

Why working days matter in complaint handling

Complaint processes often use specific time limits. Some are measured in calendar days, while others may use working days. Mixing the two can create deadline errors.

What to check first

• The rule or policy that applies
• Whether the clock starts on receipt or the next working day
• Whether weekends and public holidays are excluded
• Whether the final day ends at close of business

Use calculators carefully

A calculator is useful for checking dates, but formal complaint deadlines should always be verified against the relevant policy, contract, or regulation.

For repeat complaint tracking, a structured deadline tracker may be better than a one-off date calculation.

FCA complaint handling timelines

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) sets specific timeframes for complaint handling in its DISP rules. Here’s the key timeline:

Note the mix: some deadlines are in calendar weeks, others in business days. Applying the wrong counting method to any stage can cause a compliance failure.

Worked example: complaint received Wednesday 5 August 2026

Let’s trace a standard FCA-regulated complaint through the timeline:

If the same complaint arrived on Friday 7 August at 4:30pm, the acknowledgement clock effectively starts on Monday 10 August (many firms treat after-hours receipt as next-business-day). The final response deadline, however, is still 8 calendar weeks from 7 August = Friday 2 October 2026, because calendar-week counting does not pause for weekends.

Other regulator timelines compared

Not all complaints follow FCA rules. Here’s how other UK regulators differ:

The Housing Ombudsman is particularly strict about the working-day distinction: their Complaint Handling Code explicitly counts in working days, and weekends do not count towards the landlord’s response time.

What happens when a deadline falls on a weekend

This is one of the most practical questions in complaint handling. The answer depends on the counting method:

• Calendar-day or calendar-week deadlines: If the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday, some regulators (and many contracts) roll it forward to the next business day. However, this is not universal. The FCA’s 8-week rule, for example, is fixed at 8 weeks — if that date is a Saturday, the deadline remains Saturday. In practice, most firms treat the following Monday as acceptable, but the formal position is that the deadline is not automatically extended.
• Business-day or working-day deadlines: By definition, the deadline cannot fall on a weekend because weekends were never counted in the first place. The deadline will always land on a weekday.
• If the Monday after a weekend deadline is a bank holiday: The deadline rolls to Tuesday. This principle (“the next available business day”) is widely accepted across UK regulatory bodies and is codified in the Civil Procedure Rules for court deadlines.

Frequently asked questions

Does the FCA’s 8-week deadline include the day the complaint was made?

The 8-week period runs from the date the firm receives the complaint. Day 1 is the day after receipt. If a complaint is received on 1 June, the 8-week deadline is 27 July (56 days later). The FCA expects the final response to be issued by the end of that day.

What if I cannot resolve the complaint within 8 weeks?

Under DISP rules, firms must write to the complainant before the 8-week deadline explaining why they cannot issue a final response and when they expect to do so. The letter must also inform the complainant of their right to refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service. This does not extend the deadline; it simply buys time while preserving the consumer’s right to escalate.

Are FOI response deadlines in calendar days or working days?

FOI requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 must be answered within 20 working days. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is clear that “working days” means Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays. A request received on a Friday has a deadline 20 working days later, not 20 calendar days later — a difference of about 8 days.