In the New Year’s Honours list of 2025, more than 1100 people from across the UK have been recognised for their work to support their communities or improve parts of their sector.
This year’s list, the Cabinet Office – who manages the process – says has a particular focus this year on those who have gone ‘above and beyond’.
Amongst names you might know, actor Idris Elba has been knighted for his services to young people, having founded the Elba Hope Foundation.
He said: ‘I receive this honour on behalf of the many young people whose talent, ambition and resilience has driven the work of the Elba Hope Foundation.
Embed from Getty Images
Embed from Getty Images
‘I hope we can do more to draw attention to the importance of sustained, practical support for young people and to the responsibility we all share to help them find an alternative to violence.’
Elba is currently working on a Netflix documentary with King Charles about The King’s Trust, having been an ambassador for years.
Olympic ice skating pair, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, gold medal winners in 1984, were also acknowledged with a damehood and knighthood, in recognition of services to skating and the voluntary sector.
They said the honour is ‘wonderful and humbling at the same time’.
Elsewhere in entertainment, Paul Elliott – also known as Paul Chuckle, a children’s actor – has been made an MBE along with Cynthia Erivo, for her services to music and drama. Comedy actor Matt Lucas, known for his works on Little Britain, is now an OBE, along with presenter-turned-author Richard Osman, actor Warwick Davis, and broadcaster Gabby Logan.
MBE is the most junior of the awards and some divisions, such as appointments to the Order of the Bath are for military personnel and civil servants alone.
Learn more about the honours system and how the gongs compare here.
In sport, England women’s football manager Sarina Wiegman has been made an honorary dame for her efforts managing the Lionesses; the team won successive European Women’s Championship titles in 2022 and 2025. She is Dutch, which makes her damehood only honorary.
A number of Lionesses have also been recognised, including captain Leah Williamson, who is appointed a CBE (on top of her OBE earned in 2023). Her teammates Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone have received MBEs.
In Rugby, the England’s women’s team – who won the world cup this year – have been honoured. The Red Roses coach John Mitchell (a New Zealander), is appointed an OBE for services to the sport, alongside captain Zoe Stratford and Marlie Packer. Meanwhile players Ellie Kildunne, Sadia Kabeya and Megan Jones have been made MBEs.
Football commentator Clive Tyldesley is now an OBE for services to sports broadcasting and to charity and 20-year-old Olympic climber Toby Roberts has been made an MBE; he is the youngest recipient in 2025.
Amongst the everyday people, D-Day veteran Mervyn Kersh, now 101, has been acknowledged with a British Empire Medal (BEM) for his work in Holocaust remembrance and education. He said it was ‘a wonderful thing’ to receive.
92-year-old Betty Brown has been made an OBE, for her work seeking justice for sub-postmasters. Betty is thought to be the oldest victim of the Horizon IT scandal, where faulty software caused the Post Office to pursue thousands of innocent sub-postmasters for apparent financial shortfalls between 1999 and 2015. More than 900 were incorrectly prosecuted.
Twins Ryan and Dean Appleton, who work as community first responders, are given BEMs for services to the community, while married couple Susan and David Cook have been honoured with MBEs for services to foster care; they have cared for nearly 50 children in 20 years.
Michelle Ferguson, the director of the Confederation British Industry Scotland is being awarded an OBE for her services to the economy, while Hilary Alba is awarded an MBE for her services to Community Midwifery.
The first female Black Rod – who plays a key role in the State Opening of Parliament – Sarah Clarke, has been made a Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath for her contributions to the running of Parliament through the pandemic and her support of the change of reign. Sarah was the last person to pay homage and leave Elizabeth II’s lying in state before her funeral.
She was appointed to the role of Black Rod in 2017, and is already a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (a personal gift from the Monarch) and an OBE.
Anyone can nominate a person to be recognised in an honours list, which are made twice a year (June for The King’s birthday, and New Year). The level of award given reflects the impact they have had helping others, or achievements in public life.
Damehoods have been given to MP Annalise Dodds, Chief Executive Officer of NHS England Amanda Pritchard, and geneticist Professor Meena Upadhyaya for her championing of racial equality and community cohesion.
Knighthoods have been given to Tristram Hunt for his ‘extensive public service and contributions to heritage and culture’, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Professor Simon Milne, and Dr Steve Taylor, CEO of Cabot Learning Federation, which has been responsible for turning around dozens of underperforming schools in South West England.
