From 6 April 2026, the rules on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) changed for employers across Great Britain. The changes mean more of your people qualify for SSP, and it is paid sooner.
What changed
- Paid from day one. SSP is now payable from the first day of sickness. The three unpaid waiting days have gone.
- No lower earnings limit. The earnings threshold has been removed, so more workers, including part-time and lower-paid staff, now qualify.
- A new rate calculation. SSP is now the lower of 80% of a person’s average weekly earnings or the standard weekly rate.
What it means for employers
Short absences that were previously unpaid for the first few days now carry a cost from day one, and they apply to more of your workforce. For organisations with high levels of short-term absence, the impact adds up quickly.
What to do now
- Check your payroll and absence processes reflect the new rules
- Update your sickness absence policy and tell your managers what has changed
- Look at your absence data to understand the main causes of short-term absence
- Invest in prevention, so fewer absences happen in the first place
With stress named as a top cause of short-term absence by around a quarter of employers in the CIPD’s 2025 research, supporting people’s health before they are unwell is now a clearer financial case than ever.
VYVE helps organisations do exactly that. See VYVE for employers or book a demo.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Acas, Statutory sick pay changes 2026; CIPD, Health and wellbeing at work 2025.