The government has set out new proposals to extend sick Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) eligibility, lowering the income limit to include part-time and low paid employees.
Announced back in 2017, the government set out proposals to review the fairness of the existing scheme, by conducting a consultation on SSP, taking place as of 7th October 2019.
The outcome of course relies on the findings of the consultation, but if approved the proposed new measures could affect up to two million workers who don’t currently qualify.
The current system
At the moment, SSP is only available to employees earning the equivalent of 14 hours a week on minimum wage for those aged 25 and over, calculated at £118.
To qualify for statutory sick pay (SSP) you must:
- Be classed as an employee (Agency workers are entitled to SSP)
- Earn at least £118 per week
- Have been ill for at least four days in a row, including non-working days
SSP is £94.25 a week and is capped at 28 weeks.
How we can help
Complicated payroll legislation can be difficult to navigate, but the in-house payroll bureau here at Smith Cooper are on hand to provide you dependable advice about your employees’ eligibility for sick pay, keeping you up to date with any changes and ensuring you fulfil your payroll responsibilities as an employer.
Our holistic payroll service can manage your entire payroll process for you, and includes everything from informing HMRC of new employees, to creating employee payslips. Our payroll software relies on the most up to date legislation, automatically calculating SSP for you and simplifying the process.
If you have any questions regarding SSP, or any other payroll related queries, please don’t not hesitate to get in touch. Alternatively, if you would like to keep up to date with any changes relating to payroll procedures, please update your marketing preferences here, where you will be the first to receive any updates that we issue.
