HR tools
Free HR tools for UK employers
Calculators, an HR toolkit checklist and a plain comparison of HR software, HR systems and HR apps. No sign-up, no trial, no sales call.
Free HR calculators
Holiday entitlement calculator
Statutory 5.6 weeks for full-time, part-time and irregular-hours staff, in days or hours, pro-rated for part years.
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Working hours calculator
Weekly and averaged hours against the 48-hour limit, rest breaks and daily rest under the Working Time Regulations.
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Types of HR tools, and what to check before you buy
HR technology tools split into six practical categories. Most UK employers under 250 staff need two or three of them, not a full suite.
| Category | What it does | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Core HR software (HRIS) | Employee records, documents, absence, org charts | Per-employee pricing, data export on exit, UK data hosting |
| Payroll and benefits tools | Pay runs, RTI submissions, pensions, expenses | Whether payroll is bundled or a separate provider |
| Absence and holiday tools | Requests, approvals, Bradford factor, return-to-work forms | Irregular hours and term-time accrual handling |
| Recruitment and ATS | Job posting, candidate pipelines, interview scheduling | Job board costs and GDPR retention of applicant data |
| Performance and engagement | Reviews, objectives, one-to-ones, pulse surveys | Adoption: unused review modules are the most wasted spend |
| Compliance and document tools | Contracts, handbooks, right to work, policy sign-off | Whether templates are UK-drafted and kept updated |
The HR toolkit every UK employer needs
Software is only half the job. Before you buy an HR system, make sure the underlying human resource management toolkit exists and is current.
- Written statement of terms - legally required from day one of employment.
- Staff handbook - absence, conduct, holiday, family leave, IT and expenses.
- Disciplinary and grievance procedures - aligned to the Acas Code of Practice.
- Onboarding and right to work - checklist plus dated evidence of every check.
- Absence pack - self-cert, return-to-work and long-term absence review forms.
- GDPR records - privacy notice for staff and a retention schedule for HR data.
HR software, HR systems and HR apps: what the terms mean
HR software / HRIS
The record of truth: people data, documents, absence and reporting. Priced per employee per month, usually with an annual commitment.
HR management system
An HRIS plus workflow: recruitment, performance and sometimes payroll in one platform. Worth it once approvals cross several managers.
HR app / self-service
The employee-facing layer for booking holiday, viewing payslips and reporting sickness. Adoption lives or dies here, so test it on a phone.
Read the longer comparison in our HR guides, or shortlist providers that implement and support these systems in your city.
HR tools: frequently asked questions
What are HR tools?
HR tools are the systems, templates and calculators an employer uses to run people admin: HR software for records and absence, payroll systems, applicant tracking, plus calculators for holiday entitlement and working hours. Small UK employers often combine one HR system with a small set of free tools and an advice line, rather than buying a single expensive platform.
What are the different types of HR tools?
Broadly six: core HR software (an HRIS holding records and documents), absence and holiday tools, payroll and benefits tools, recruitment and applicant tracking, performance and engagement tools, and compliance tools covering contracts, policies and right to work checks.
What is an HR toolkit?
An HR toolkit is the documented set of contracts, policies, letters and checklists that sit behind your HR software: an employment contract template, staff handbook, disciplinary and grievance procedures, absence forms and an onboarding checklist. Most UK HR support providers include a toolkit of templates as part of a retained service.
Do I need HR software for a small business?
Under about ten employees, a spreadsheet plus reliable employment law advice usually copes. Past that, an HR system pays for itself in absence tracking, document storage and audit trails. UK HR software for small business typically starts around 3 to 8 pounds per employee per month.
Are these HR tools free to use?
Yes. The holiday entitlement calculator and working hours calculator on this site are free, need no sign-up and follow UK statutory rules. We do not sell software; we list HR providers and take a fee only when a provider claims its directory listing.
How does HR software integrate with payroll and other tools?
Most UK HR systems either include payroll or export a pay file to providers such as Sage, Xero or BrightPay. Check three things before buying: whether absence and overtime flow into payroll automatically, whether it exports RTI-ready data, and whether the integration is included or charged as an add-on.
How do HR tools help with UK employment law compliance?
Good tools timestamp what you did and when: signed contracts, policy acknowledgements, absence records, right to work checks and disciplinary notes. At tribunal, that record is often the difference between a defensible decision and an expensive one. Software stores the evidence, but the process still needs qualified employment law advice.