A well-planned, thorough HR calendar is one of the most effective tools an HR team can have. Knowing what’s coming in the year ahead – and why it matters – can help you strengthen compliance, along with being more proactive and people-focused when it comes to organisational plans and projects.
From statutory UK Bank Holidays and payroll deadlines to wellbeing and inclusion milestones, we have put together a carefully curated UK HR calendar for 2026, designed to support workforce planning, engagement initiatives, and operational delivery throughout the year.
January 2026: Reset and Re-engage
Thursday 1 January — New Year’s Day (Bank Holiday)
New Year’s Day is a statutory Bank Holiday in England and Wales and, if applicable to your organisation, should be marked as such in your HR and payroll systems.
Monday 19 January — Brew Monday
In recent years, the idea of the third Monday in January being the “most depressing day of the year” has been questioned. As an alternative, the charity Samaritans has championed Brew Monday, reframing the day around connection, conversation, and support over a cup of tea or coffee.
For employers, Brew Monday is a simple yet effective opportunity to promote wellbeing by creating space for informal conversations, either in the office or through virtual meetings for remote teams.
Thursday 1 – Saturday 31 January — Workplace Wellbeing Focus
While not tied to a specific date, January is commonly used by employers to relaunch wellbeing strategies, mental health support, and employee assistance programmes. HR teams often use this quieter, dark month (a come down from the recent buzz of the festive season!) to reinforce wellbeing messaging and reset engagement priorities for the year ahead.
March 2026: Team Celebration
Friday 6 March — Employee Appreciation Day
The first Friday in March is a great reminder to celebrate the people who make your organisation thrive. While recognising employees should be part of everyday culture, Employee Appreciation Day gives you a dedicated moment to show your team just how much their effort matters.
This could be as simple as personalised thank-you messages, public shout-outs in team meetings, or small tokens of recognition that make staff feel seen and valued. Even small gestures can go a long way in building a positive and motivated workplace.
Sunday 8 March — International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a global movement dedicated to creating a gender-equal world, free from bias, discrimination and stereotypes. It’s a day for individuals, teams and organisations to come together to celebrate progress and highlight the work still to be done.
The theme for 2026, “Give to Gain”, emphasises the power of generosity, and for employers, this can be a prompt to run awareness initiatives, spotlight achievements, or review policies to ensure fairness and equality for all employees.
April 2026: Payroll, Tax and Easter Planning
From Wednesday 1 April — National Minimum & Living Wage Updates
Annual changes to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage take effect from 1 April. HR teams should confirm updated pay rates are implemented correctly and reflected in contracts, payroll systems and budgets.
For the full list of 2026 National Wage changes, read our Autumn Budget 2025 blog post.
Friday 3 April — Good Friday (Bank Holiday)
Good Friday forms part of the Easter holiday period and, for many Monday-to-Friday working organisations, can impact business continuity – particularly for customer-facing teams. HR should ensure rotas, holiday approvals, and pay arrangements are clearly communicated in advance.
Sunday 5 April — Payroll Year End
The UK payroll year ends annually on 5 April. HR and payroll teams should ensure all final pay adjustments are accurate, records are complete, and reporting is ready for the new tax year. Please note that this deadline doesn’t include the submission of P11Ds (we’ll cover this later in the article).
Monday 6 April — Easter Monday (Bank Holiday)
Easter Monday is another statutory Bank Holiday in England and Wales. With two Bank Holidays close together here, this is a key period for monitoring staffing levels and managing holiday requests fairly.
May 2026: More Bank Holidays and Mental Health Awareness
Monday 4 May — Early May Bank Holiday
The first Bank Holiday in May often coincides with an increase in annual leave demand. Similar to the Easter break, HR teams should plan to maintain adequate coverage and manage their workloads.
Monday 11– Sunday 17 May — Mental Health Awareness Week
Mental Health Awareness Week offers a focused opportunity for organisations to prioritise employee wellbeing and reinforce a culture of psychological safety. It’s a moment to raise awareness of available support, encourage open conversations, and remind employees that mental health is an ongoing priority in organisations.
Many employers choose to mark the week through practical initiatives such as wellbeing sessions, internal communications, or training for managers to help them better support their teams.
Wednesday 20 May — International HR Day
International HR Day recognises the contribution HR professionals make to overall organisational success. And although the importance of HR should be acknowledged year-round, this day provides the perfect opportunity to highlight the strategic value of HR internally and celebrate specific team achievements.
Monday 25 May — Spring Bank Holiday
The Spring Bank Holiday often marks the start of the peak holiday season. HR teams should monitor leave patterns and remind employees of holiday policies and booking procedures – especially as for many employees with children, this Bank Holiday coincides with a half-term holiday week.
June 2026: Inclusion and Culture
Monday 1 – Tuesday 30 June — Pride Month
Pride Month is widely recognised up and down the UK. It provides an opportunity to celebrate LGBTQ+ communities while encouraging meaningful conversations around inclusion and belonging in the workplace.
HR and internal teams may choose to support Pride Month through awareness activities, visible allyship, or by reviewing policies and practices to ensure they remain inclusive and supportive for all employees.
July 2026: Compliance and Reporting
Monday 6 July — P11D Submission Deadline
As mentioned previously, although the tax year ends in April, the submission deadline for P11Ds is not until early July.
Employers must submit P11D and P11D(b) forms to HMRC by 6 July if they provide taxable benefits or expenses to employees. This deadline is critical for compliance, so HR and payroll teams should ensure all benefit data is accurate and submitted on time to avoid potential fines.
August 2026: Summer Planning
Monday 31 August — Summer Bank Holiday
The Summer Bank Holiday is often one of the busiest annual leave periods of the year, with it falling during most schools’ summer break. Employers should ensure holiday policies are applied consistently and that managers are prepared for reduced resource levels.
September 2026: Recognition and Inclusion
National Payroll Week (Date Confirmed Annually)
National Payroll Week, championed by the CIPP, celebrates payroll professionals and their role in keeping organisations compliant and employees paid accurately.
Often called the ‘unsung heroes’ of organisations (due to only being noticed when things go wrong), many HR teams use this week to recognise the hard work and dedication from payroll colleagues and highlight best practice.
Although the dates for 2026 are yet to be confirmed, it usually falls on the first full week of September, which would be Monday 7 – Friday 11.
Monday 14 – Sunday 20 September — National Inclusion Week
National Inclusion Week from Inclusive Employers encourages organisations to reflect on how inclusive their workplace truly is and where improvements can be made. It’s a valuable opportunity to reinforce the importance of belonging, fairness and respect across the employee experience.
Many HR teams use this week to align internal communications, deliver inclusion-focused training company-wide, or create space for employee feedback and open dialogue.
October 2026: History and Awareness
Thursday 1 – Saturday 31 October — Black History Month (UK)
Each year, Black History Month provides a dedicated opportunity to recognise and celebrate black history, culture and contributions, while also encouraging learning and reflection across the workplace.
To get involved and support this month of celebration, teams may choose to host educational activities, share employee stories, or take time to review existing diversity, equity and inclusion commitments and progress to date.
December 2026: Year-End and Festive Leave
Friday 25 December — Christmas Day (Bank Holiday)
Christmas Day is a statutory Bank Holiday and often coincides with office closures. Organisations should ensure festive leave policies are clear and communicated well in advance.
If a longer period of shutdown applies (such as the working days between Christmas and New Year), it’s worth making it clear to all employees – preferably at the start of the year – whether this needs to be covered using their annual leave entitlement or if it’s in addition.
Monday 28 December — Boxing Day (Substitute Bank Holiday)
As Boxing Day falls on a weekend in 2026, the Bank Holiday is observed on 28 December. This substitution should be factored into payroll, rotas, and any other leave planning.
Making the Most of Your 2026 HR Calendar
Utilising a regularly updated HR calendar can aid you in planning staffing and annual leave much more effectively, along with scheduling meaningful wellbeing, engagement and DEI initiatives that resonate with your teams.
From a legal perspective, you can be aware of and, in turn, remain compliant with crucial payroll and reporting deadlines. As a result, this can reduce last-minute, unnecessary pressures on HR and management teams, enabling you to move from reactive planning to a more strategic, proactive approach throughout 2026.
If you’re looking for practical HR support in 2026, the Omny Group is here to help. Our experienced HR team works alongside organisations in every sector to provide clear, reliable people support of varying levels. Whatever people support you need, we’ll help you navigate the year ahead with confidence. Get in touch today to find out more.