Changes to eligibility for statutory sick pay
Implementation date: April 2026
The Employment Rights Bill includes provisions to make statutory sick pay (SSP) available to all workers. The Bill removes:
- the requirement to earn at least the lower earnings limit; and
- the three-day waiting period for workers to be entitled to SSP.
Following a consultation, the Bill sets the percentage rate for those earning below the current rate of SSP at 80% of normal weekly earnings.
The Government has confirmed, in Implementing the Employment Rights Bill: Our roadmap for delivering change, that these measures will take effect in April 2026.