In thinking all employers should offer sick pay?

[WilmaFlintstone1]

Okay, controversial I know especially for small businesses but we can discuss it rationally here can’t we?

Thinking about it as out of the blue I’ve needed surgery this week (emergency) and am now signed off for two weeks.

My employer doesn’t offer sick pay at all. Now we will actually be okay as I am fortunate enough to have enough saved to pick up the bills.

However, it’s really made me think about what would happen for someone not in my fortunate position. There have been times where not having sick pay would have crippled me….even with the statutory sick pay.

UC would not be likely to help as there is a five week window before any payments .

How do people cope?

Or does SSP need to increase to a level where it meets living costs?

Good news for you is that there are plans afoot to change it. From April 26.

As it stands, SSP:

• Is paid from the 4th day of sickness (with the first 3 “waiting days” being unpaid).
• Pays a fixed weekly rate of £109.40 (as of 2025), regardless of your usual income.
• Requires employees to earn at least £123 a week (meaning employees earning less than this don’t qualify for SSP).

What’s Changing from April 2026?
The upcoming changes proposed under the Employment Rights Bill will make SSP more accessible, flexible, and fair.
SSP from Day 1
SSP will now be available from the first day of absence, removing the three unpaid waiting days. This change is crucial for employees in lessening the financial pressure during illness, especially for those with unpredictable health conditions.
No Earnings Threshold
The lower earnings limit will be scrapped, meaning those on low wages, part-time contracts, or with irregular hours, who previously didn’t qualify for SSP, will now be eligible.
Pay Based on Earnings
Instead of a flat weekly amount, SSP will be calculated as a percentage of your usual income. This means that employees will receive an amount more closely aligned with their regular income, which helps create a fairer system, especially for those who are lower paid.

It's bad news for SME's though. Already impacted by increase in NI, many are turning to the self employed market or downsizing or closing.

Great to have increased employment rights but you need a job to benefit. SME's employ 90% of people in UK.

This will all have unintended consequences.

Indeed, unintended consequences, but entirely foreseeable, of businesses employing fewer people. If the Govt want small businesses to pay SSP, then they need to revert back to funding it, rather than the business having to pick up the cost. As you say, some businesses will simply close or stop employing people, others will engage self employed instead. Successive governments seem obsessed with getting rid of small businesses, especially Sunak excluding 3 million of them from covid support schemes! Govts are clearly in the pockets of big businesses who want to get rid of small businesses.

We took out sickness insurance for dh as he only gets ssp