New-year honours: How does the UK honours system work?

The list of those receiving new-year honours is widely covered every January.

The awards typically celebrate the contribution of celebrities, government employees and people who have served their community.

Most honours are awarded at new year and on the monarch's official birthday, in June.

The 2024 New Year Honours list included:

King Charles III's first birthday honours list, in 2023, included:

Departing prime ministers can also issue resignation honours.

Boris Johnson and Liz Truss both left office in 2022.

Mr Johnson's controversial list, released in June 2023, initially contained eight names rejected by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The body did not name the nominees - or reveal why they had not received approval. But Mr Johnson's ally, former Tory MP Nadine Dorries, said "sinister forces" had stopped her receiving a peerage.

Ms Truss was widely criticised for submitting an honours list after only 49 days in the job. Her 11 nominations largely consisted of political supporters and former aides.

When Parliament ends before a general election, dissolution honours are typically given to politicians.

And when a senior member of the Royal Family dies, Royal Victorian Order honours are awarded to people who served the family.

The new-year and birthday Honours are awarded by the King, following recommendations by the prime minister or senior government ministers.

Members of the public can also recommend people for an award. These nominations typically make up about a quarter of all recommendations.

These honours lists include awards for people who:

Resignation or dissolution honours are decided by the prime minister and do not go through the same process.

The Foreign Office has responsibility for the Diplomatic Service and Overseas List. Honorary awards for foreign nationals are recommended by the foreign secretary.

Honours are traditionally kept confidential until the official announcement, with lists provided to media outlets at the last minute under embargo.

But a number of 2024 new-year honours recipients issued their own embargoed press releases weeks in advance.

People in line for an honour are checked by the Honours and Appointments Secretariat, which is part of the Cabinet Office government department.

The Cabinet Office has agreements with other government departments to let it access confidential information about nominees.

For example, there is an agreement with HM Revenue and Customs to give a low, medium or high risk rating to nominee's tax affairs.

Peerages are vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

A Parliamentary and Political Services Committee considers honours for politicians and for political service.

In recent years, political donations made by some nominees have received scrutiny.

When somebody is approved for an honour, they are sent a letter asking if they will accept it.

A list of 277 people who turned down honours between 1951 and 1999, and subsequently died, was made public following a BBC Freedom of Information request.

It included authors Roald Dahl, JG Ballard and Aldous Huxley, and the painters Francis Bacon, Lucien Freud and LS Lowry.

The poet Benjamin Zephaniah rejected an OBE in 2003 because of the association with the British Empire and its history of slavery.

Others reported to have turned down an honour include David Bowie, Nigella Lawson, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.

Some people have had their honours withdrawn by the Honours Forfeiture Committee.

They include Rolf Harris, who went to prison for indecent assault, and Anthony Blunt, the former art adviser to the Queen who turned out to be a Soviet spy.

Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells said she would hand back her CBE after facing mounting pressure over the Horizon IT scandal.

More than a million people signed a petition calling for Ms Vennells to be stripped of her award, which she received in 2019 for services to the Post Office and charity.

Honours are typically awarded by the King, Prince of Wales or Princess Royal, at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Recipients can select their investiture's date and location, but not which royal presides over the ceremony.

British Empire Medals are presented locally by lord-lieutenants, who represent the King. Recipients are also invited to attend a royal garden party.

Knights and Dames

The honour of knighthood comes from the days of medieval chivalry, as does the method used to confer the knighthood - the accolade, or the touch of a sword by the sovereign.

A knight is styled "Sir" and their wives "Lady".

Women receiving the honour are styled "Dame" but do not receive the accolade.

The honour is given for a pre-eminent contribution in any field of activity.

The rank of Knight Commander (KBE) or Dame Commander (DBE), Order of the British Empire, appears on the Diplomatic Service and Overseas list.

The Order of the Bath

The Order of the Bath is an order of chivalry and was founded in 1725 for service of the highest calibre.

It has a civil and military division and is awarded in the following ranks: Knight Grand Cross (GCB), Knight Commander (KCB) and Companion (CB).

The Order takes its name from the symbolic bathing, which, in former times, was often part of the preparation of a candidate for knighthood.

Order of St Michael and St George

This Order was founded by King George III in 1818 and is awarded to British subjects who have rendered extraordinary and important services abroad or in the Commonwealth.

Ranks in the Order are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCMG), Knight or Dame Commander (KCMG or DCMG) and Companion (CMG).

Order of the Companions of Honour

This is awarded for service of conspicuous national importance and is limited to 65 people. Recipients are entitled to put the initials CH after their name.

Orders of the British Empire

King George V created these honours during World War One to reward services to the war effort by civilians at home and service personnel in support positions.

The ranks are Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE).

They are now awarded for prominent national or regional roles and to those making distinguished or notable contributions in their own specific areas of activity.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

The medal was founded in 1917 and was awarded for "meritorious" actions by civilians or military personnel, although the recipients did not attend a royal investiture.

Scrapped in 1993 by Conservative Prime Minister John Major, the BEM was revived in 2012.

Royal Victorian Order

By 1896, prime ministers and governments had increased their influence over the distribution of awards and had gained almost total control of the system. Therefore, Queen Victoria instituted The Royal Victorian Order as a personal award for services performed on behalf of the Royal Family.

The ranks are Knight or Dame Grand Cross (GCVO), Knight or Dame Commander (KCVO or DCVO), Commander (CVO), Lieutenant (LVO) and Member (MVO).

Royal Victorian Medal

Associated with the Royal Victorian Order is the Royal Victorian Medal which has three grades: gold, silver and bronze. The circular medal is attached to the ribbon of the Order.

Royal Red Cross

Founded in 1883 by Queen Victoria, the award is confined to the nursing services. Those awarded the first class are designated "Members" (RRC): those awarded the Second Class are designated "Associates" (ARRC).

King's Police Medal

Awarded for distinguished service in the police force.

King's Fire Service Medal

Given to firefighters who have displayed conspicuous devotion to duty.

King's Ambulance Service Medal

Awarded for distinguished service in the ambulance service.