A new year has come around once again, and as the celebrations of the past few weeks die down, many are returning to work and getting back into the swing of routine.
For HR professionals, it’s the time to plan for important HR-related moments in the year ahead – including national/international celebrations to acknowledge and Bank Holidays to remember when processing employee absences.
In this blog post, we highlight the key 2024 HR dates in the UK for you to note in your calendar.
Bank Holiday
As announced by the Chancellor during the Autumn Statement last November, the main rate of employee Class 1 National Insurance contributions has been cut from 12% to 10% from 6th January this year.
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 have – 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.
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
As every year, the National Minimum and Living Wage changes (announced in the Autumn Statement last November) come into effect at the start of April. From this date, the rates will increase as follows:
| Rate | Increase in pence | Percentage increase | |
| National Living Wage (21 and over) | £11.44 | £1.02 | 9.8% |
| 18-20 Year Old Rate | £8.60 | £1.11 | 14.8% |
| 16-17 Year Old Rate | £6.40 | £1.12 | 21.2% |
| Apprentice Rate | £6.40 | £1.12 | 21.2% |
| Accommodation Offset | £9.99 | £0.89 | 9.8% |
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 2023/24 into 2024/25. 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.
From this date, the main rate of Class 4 National Insurance contributions (impacting the self employed) will be cut from 9% to 8%, and Class 2 National Insurance contributions will be abolished completely.
Bank Holiday
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 2024 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.
Bank Holiday
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is another topic ranking high on business leader’s 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.
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.
Bank Holiday
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).
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.
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 employee’s stories and achievements.
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
If you need hands-on support with anything HR-related in 2024, 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.
