What is a 9-day fortnight, and which companies offer it?
Find out how a 9-day fortnight works, who it suits, and which Flexa-verified companies offer it.
By Laura Nineham
SEO, GEO & Content Marketing Manager
23rd Oct 2026
• 3 minutes
What is a 9-day fortnight?
A 9-day fortnight means working nine days over a two-week period instead of the usual ten, and that often works out as having every other Friday off.
It's easy to mix up with other flexible patterns, but it's not quite the same as a four-day week, where you get a day off every week, or compressed hours, where you fit your full weekly hours into fewer days.
What are the benefits of a 9-day fortnight?
The main benefit of a 9-day fortnight is time. When you get a longer weekend every other week, you get extra time for family, hobbies and the life admin that usually gets squeezed into evenings. That can mean less stress, better wellbeing, higher job satisfaction and improved productivity.
Which companies offer a 9-day fortnight?
Four companies with a 9-day fortnight are currently listed on Flexa. Here's how each one describes this working pattern working for them
ADS is the national trade association for the UK's aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. It's a hybrid company with three office days a week, and employees can choose to work a 9-day fortnight. They also offer a work from anywhere scheme, let you buy extra annual leave, and are open to compressed hours, job sharing and part-time working for some roles. Plus, employees say they're very happy with the flexibility in the hours they work (81%) and largely happy with their working location freedom (80%).
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home aims never to turn away a dog or cat in need of its help, giving each one lots of love and expert care. It's a hybrid company, with office-based colleagues spending around half the week in the office, and 77% of employees say they can work flexibly. Alongside the 9-day fortnight, Battersea offers ad hoc flexibility around core office hours, and is open to compressed hours, job sharing and part-time.
Connected Places Catapult is the UK's innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities and local growth. It's a hybrid company, with a minimum of two office days a week for most roles (some require five), and employees work a 9-day fortnight with every other Friday off. They also run core hours and offer a little flexibility in start and finish times.
CoppaFeel exists to ensure all breast cancers are diagnosed at the earliest stage possible when treatments are more available and survival rates are higher. It's a hybrid workplace with two office days a week and flexi-time. They offer a 9-day fortnight (with Flex Fridays every other week) and hope to roll this out to everyone on the team. They’re also open to part-time and compressed hours.
FAQs about the 9-day fortnight
What is a 9-day fortnight?
It's a working pattern where you work nine days over two weeks instead of ten, giving you one extra day off every fortnight. At some companies, like Connected Places Catapult, that's every other Friday.
Is a 9-day fortnight the same as a four-day week?
No. A four-day week gives you an extra day off every week, whilst a 9-day fortnight gives you an extra day off every two weeks.
How is it different from compressed hours?
With compressed hours, you work your full weekly hours across fewer days, usually every week. A 9-day fortnight is a fortnightly pattern, so you get your extra day off every other week rather than weekly.
Do you work the same hours and get paid the same?
That depends on the company, so check their company profile and ask at the interview stage how your hours are set up across the nine days, and whether anything changes to your pay.
Does everyone at the company get it?
Not always. At ADS it's an option, and CoppaFeel says it's working to enable everyone on the team to work across a 9-day fortnight. It's worth checking the job listing and asking if it applies to your role and team.
How do you find companies that offer a 9-day fortnight?
On Flexa, you can filter companies by work week, or browse our list of companies with a 9-day fortnight and jobs with a 9-day fortnight. We've also got a round-up of the best companies for flexible working, and a guide to summer hours if you're interested in shorter working weeks over the summer months