Key UK HR dates for your calendar in 2026
2026 is right around the corner, with many gearing up to enjoy the upcoming festive season and celebrations. For a number of HR professionals, it’s the perfect time to get ahead of the game and plan for important HR-related moments in the year ahead – including national/international celebrations to acknowledge, as well as Bank Holidays to remember when processing employee absences.
In this blog post, we highlight the key 2026 HR dates in the UK for you to note in your calendar.
Thursday 1st January 2026 – New Year’s Day
Bank Holiday
Monday 19th January 2026 – Brew Monday
Many of us are familiar with the term ‘Blue Monday’ as the most depressing day of the year. Flipping this negativity on its head, the charity Samaritans has, for the past few years, pushed an initiative to rename the third Monday in January to ‘Brew Monday’.
The idea is to get as many people as possible to reach out and connect with family, friends, or loved ones over a good old cuppa. Organisations can get involved by hosting Brew Monday events for employees either in the office or virtually.
Friday 6th March 2026 – Employee Appreciation Day
Held on the first Friday in March, this day of employee appreciation provides the perfect opportunity for organisations to recognise staff efforts and contributions, over and above the everyday appreciation that should be fostered to build a positive workplace culture.
To mark the occasion, you could consider personalised recognition such as hand-written notes and group-wide shout-outs, or small token gifts if company budgets allow.
Sunday 8th March 2026 – International Women’s Day
Aiming to achieve a gender-equal world free of bias, discrimination and stereotypes, International Women’s Day is an inclusive movement for groups and communities everywhere.
The awareness day has been around for over one hundred years, and the theme for 2026 is ‘Give to gain‘. When people, organisations and communities give generously, the number of opportunities and support for women increases.
Wednesday 1st April 2026 – National Wage changes
Every year, the National Minimum and Living Wage changes (announced in the Autumn Statement) come into effect at the start of April. From this date, the rates will increase as follows:
| To 31 March 2026 | From 1 April 2026 | ||
| National Living Wage (21 and over) | £12.21 | £12.71 | |
| 18-20 Year Old Rate | £10 | £10.85 | |
| Under 18 Rate | £7.55 | £8 | |
| Apprentice Rate | £7.55 | £8 | |
Friday 3rd April 2026 – Good Friday
Bank Holiday
Sunday 5th April 2026 – Payroll year-end
For HR professionals who process payrolls, 5th April each year marks the end of the financial year and on 6th April, we move from tax year 2025/26 into 2026/27. By this date, all employee payroll records must be updated (including reporting your final FPS report of the year to HMRC) with P60s processed, before updating your payroll software – opening month 1/week 1 of the new tax year, ready for the next pay period.
Monday 6th April 2026 – Easter Monday
Bank Holiday
Monday 4th May 2026 – Early May Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
Monday 11th – Sunday 17th May 2026 – Mental Health Awareness Week
With employee health and wellbeing being high on the priority list for many organisations in recent years, Mental Health Awareness Week is a campaign to get involved in. An initiative from the Mental Health Foundation, the week aims to tackle the stigma around mental health and encourages us all to create a society that prevents mental health problems from developing.
The theme for 2026 is yet to be announced, but businesses can support the cause by taking on sports challenges, holding group discussions around mental health experiences, fundraising for the Foundation, or simply donating.
Wednesday 20th May 2026 – International HR Day
It couldn’t be a calendar of HR dates without mentioning International HR Day (IHRD)!
Every year on 20th May, IHRD globally recognises the vital role of Human Resources in building successful, people-centric workplaces, which in turn, drives organisational growth.
Business and HR leaders can celebrate by hosting or attending events or conferences (like the HR World Summit), funding learning and development opportunities for their HR team members, and showing thanks and appreciation to their HR colleagues.
Monday 25th May 2026 – Spring Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
June 2026 – Pride Month
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is another topic ranking high on business leaders’ agendas in recent times. As such, Pride Month is another celebration to note. Running throughout June each year, the movement honours the LGBTQ+ community, their history, achievements, rights, and advocacy.
Organisations can show their support by hosting company-wide events, participating in pride parades, demonstrating how they’re working to create a more inclusive workplace, or volunteering with local groups that support LGBTQ+ youths.
Monday 6th July 2026 – Deadline for filing P11Ds
For employers who process benefits in kind (any taxable items employees receive in addition to their salary), the P11D form used to report those items must always be sent to HMRC by 6th July.
Monday 31st August 2026 – Summer Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
Monday 7th – Friday 11th September 2026 – National Payroll Week
Payroll teams are the unsung heroes in many organisations – they’re never usually acknowledged until something goes wrong! National Payroll Week is a chance to recognise and celebrate the wonderful teams who keep employees paid month after month, or week after week, organised by the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP).
Monday 14th – Sunday 20th September 2026 – National Inclusion Week
Continuing with the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), National Inclusion Week is a week dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to create inclusive workplaces – founded by Inclusive Employers. The idea is to build awareness of inclusion and diversity in the workplace, empowering people to make long-standing change.
October 2026 – Black History Month
Throughout the month of October each year, Black History Month provides the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture. Organisations can join in the celebrations by hosting team activities to learn about black history in the local area, invite a black speaker to host an internal workshop or highlight their own employees’ stories and achievements.
Friday 25th December 2026 – Christmas Day
Bank Holiday
Monday 28th December 2026 – Boxing Day (substitute)
Bank Holiday
If you need hands-on support with anything HR-related in 2026, our team of friendly professionals is here to help. Our flexible, cost-effective HR solutions range from ad-hoc advice when you need it to fully outsourced ‘on-site’ HR teams. Find out how Vero HR can support your organisation.