Potential implementation: April 2026

What is the position now?

At the moment, statutory sick pay does not start until the fourth day of absence and employees earning below a certain level do not qualify at all.

What is changing?

The government plans to make statutory sick pay available from the first day an employee is off sick. The minimum earnings threshold will be removed, meaning lower-paid employees will also qualify. For these workers, sick pay will be set at 80% of their normal weekly pay.

What does this mean for employers?

More employees will qualify for sick pay and employers may face higher short-term absence costs. Payroll systems and sickness policies will need to be updated to reflect the new rules.

As at Feb 26