Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a payment made by employers to employees who are unable to work due to illness It is a legal requirement in the UK, ensuring that employees receive a minimum level of income when they are unable to work due to sickness But when exactly does statutory sick pay start?
In order to be eligible for SSP, employees must have been off work due to illness for at least four consecutive days, including non-working days This means that if you are ill for less than four days, you will not be entitled to SSP However, if you are ill for four days or more, SSP will usually start from the fourth day of your illness.
It is important to note that the first three days of illness are known as ‘waiting days’ and are not eligible for SSP This means that if you are off work due to illness for three days or less, you will not receive any SSP for those days SSP will only start from the fourth day of your illness and will continue for up to 28 weeks.
Employers are required to pay SSP to employees who meet the eligibility criteria, and the current rate of SSP is £94.25 per week This is the minimum amount that employers must pay, but some employers may choose to pay more than this if they have a company sick pay scheme in place.
Employees must notify their employer as soon as possible if they are unable to work due to illness and provide medical evidence if requested This is usually in the form of a doctor’s note or ‘fit note’ which confirms the reason for their absence from work.
If an employee is off work due to illness for more than seven days, they will need to provide a ‘fit note’ from their doctor to continue receiving SSP when does statutory sick pay start. The fit note will confirm that they are unable to work due to illness and provide details of their condition and when they are likely to be able to return to work.
Employees who are on a zero-hours contract or are classified as ‘workers’ rather than ’employees’ are also entitled to SSP if they meet the eligibility criteria They must have been off work due to illness for at least four consecutive days, including non-working days, and provide medical evidence if requested.
Some employees may be entitled to additional sick pay from their employer on top of SSP This is known as company sick pay and is usually paid at a higher rate than SSP Employers may have their own sick pay scheme in place which provides additional financial support to employees who are off work due to illness.
Employees who are not eligible for SSP may be able to claim other benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are unable to work due to illness ESA provides financial support to individuals who are unable to work due to ill health or disability and can be claimed if you do not qualify for SSP.
In conclusion, statutory sick pay starts from the fourth day of illness and is payable to employees who have been off work due to illness for at least four consecutive days, including non-working days Employees must provide medical evidence if requested and notify their employer as soon as possible if they are unable to work due to illness SSP is a valuable benefit that provides financial support to employees when they are unable to work due to sickness, ensuring that they receive a minimum level of income during this time