| From 6th April 2026, anyone who goes off sick will be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the first day of sickness absence. So even if they have just one day’s sickness, that day will be paid as SSP. Currently a worker is only entitled to SSP if they are off sick for four days in a row or longer, with payment starting on day four.
But what happens if someone goes off sick on, say, 3rd or 4th April? The answer is that the old arrangement still applies – they still only start to receive SSP on the fourth day of absence even if that falls after 6th April. The new regime only applies if the worker falls sick on or after 6th April.
Also, don’t forget that there will no longer be an earnings threshold. From 6th April, payment of SSP is at the weekly level of £123.50 or 80% of normal pay if lower.
Please note that SSP is a weekly amount. If someone who normally works 5 days per week has one day off sick, they will be paid one fifth of that amount (£24.70). Whereas someone who normally works 3 days per week would be paid one third of the weekly amount for a day’s sickness (£41.17).
We believe this change may lead to a higher level of sickness, particularly from lower paid workers, so it will be more important than ever to monitor and manage attendance effectively. |
