Your HR & payroll calendar 2026

An HR and payroll calendar brings together all the key dates employers must follow throughout the year to meet their legal deadlines.

It includes:

• mandatory monthly filings (RTI, PAYE/NIC payments);

• annual declarations (P60, P11D, gender pay gap);

• tax deadlines and pension contributions;

• key HR milestones (performance reviews, leave tracking, mandatory training).

💡 Good to know: a well-maintained HR calendar helps you plan ahead and avoid late penalties.

A well-maintained UK HR calendar for 2026 helps you avoid costly penalties and protect your business. Late RTI submissions can cost £100-£400 per month depending on employee numbers (HMRC, 2025), while missing the P11D deadline on 6 July triggers an initial penalty of up to £300 per form, plus up to £60 per day for continued delays.

Beyond avoiding penalties, a structured payroll calendar:

• Protects employees' rights to pensions, holiday entitlement, and statutory benefits.

• Saves time by identifying peak periods (April, July) in advance.

• Ensures compliance during HMRC or HSE inspections.

• Reduces stress by turning reactive deadlines into proactive planning.

Ultimately, an annual HR calendar transforms payroll from a monthly scramble into a controlled, strategic process.

To avoid missing any deadline in 2026, follow these steps:

• Centralise in one calendar integrated with your work calendar (Outlook, Google Calendar) and set reminders at D-7, D-3 and D-1.

• Assign clear owners (payroll manager, HR, accountant) and create processes for recurring declarations.

• Identify peak administrative periods to plan team resources ahead.

• Automate as much as possible with payroll software that generates filings automatically.

You can download the calendar as an .ICS file and add it manually to your calendar application.

If you run into difficulties, check your calendar application’s help pages or contact your IT team. The .ics format is universal and works with every calendar app.

Small businesses face the same RTI and PAYE deadlines as larger employers: 19th for RTI and 22nd for PAYE/NIC payments. However, some obligations apply only above certain thresholds: gender pay gap reporting (250+ employees), and certain pension scheme requirements vary by business size.

A UK payroll calendar tailored to your business size helps you focus only on your actual obligations and avoid unnecessary admin burden.

If you miss a deadline, act immediately to limit penalties and protect your employees' rights.

• For late RTI submissions: submit as soon as possible via HMRC's online portal. Penalties are calculated monthly (£100-£400 depending on employee numbers), but prompt correction demonstrates good faith and may reduce enforcement action.

• For late PAYE/NIC payments: pay immediately via Faster Payments. Interest charges apply automatically, but late payment penalties can be appealed if you have reasonable excuse.

• For annual deadlines (P11D, P60): contact HMRC to explain and confirm submission timeline. Payroll software with automated reminders prevents most missed deadlines effectively.