What the new sick pay rules mean for you
If you've ever gone without pay for the first few days off sick, or been told you don't earn enough to qualify, that changed on 6 April 2026.
If you’ve ever gone without pay for the first few days off sick, or been told you earn too little to qualify for sick pay at all, that changed on 6 April 2026. Both of those rules are gone.
What’s changed
Before 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick PayA minimum payment your employer must make if you are off sick for four or more consecutive days and you meet the eligibility criteria. It is paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks and is significant... (SSP) only started on the fourth day of an absence. The first three days were unpaid, known as waiting days.
From 6 April 2026, that waiting period is gone. If you’re off sick and eligible for SSP, it’s payable from the first full day of your absence.
The earnings rule changed too. Previously, if you earned below a set threshold (the Lower Earnings LimitThe minimum weekly earnings threshold that used to decide whether you qualified for Statutory Sick Pay at all. It was removed from 6 April 2026, so your earnings no longer affect whether you qualify, ...), you weren’t entitled to SSP at all. That threshold has been removed. SSP is now available to every eligible employee, regardless of how much they earn.
How much you’ll actually get
The amount depends on what you earn:
- If your average weekly earningsThe average amount you earn per week, usually calculated over a reference period before your absence started. It's used to work out how much Statutory Sick Pay, maternity pay, or other statutory payme... are high enough that the flat rate is lower, you get the flat rate: £123.25 a week from 6 April 2026.
- Earn less than that, and the calculation switches. You get 80% of your average weekly earnings.
Lower earners are no longer left with nothing. Everyone’s SSP is worked out the same way now.
There’s one transitional detail worth knowing: if you were already receiving SSP before 6 April 2026 and your average weekly earnings fall between £125 and £154.05, you get the new flat rate rather than the 80% calculation for the remainder of that absence. This only affects sickness absences that started before the change and continue after it.
Who this helps most
This change is aimed squarely at people who were previously excluded or badly served by SSP: part-time staff, people on variable or casual hours, and anyone whose earnings sit below what used to be the qualifying threshold. If that’s you, it’s worth checking your next payslip carefully rather than assuming the old rules still apply.
What to check on your payslip
If you’re off sick after 6 April 2026:
- Check you’re being paid from your first day off, not from day four.
- If you previously earned too little to qualify, check that you’re now receiving either the flat rate or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.
- If your payslip doesn’t reflect either of these, raise it with your employer in writing before assuming the worst. Payroll systems don’t always update on time, and a written query creates a record if you need to take it further.
If your employer won’t pay you correctly
If you’ve raised it in writing and you’re still not being paid what you’re entitled to, unpaid or underpaid SSP can usually be pursued as an unlawful deduction from wagesAn unlawful deduction from wages happens when your employer takes money out of your pay without a proper legal basis, whether that's the law itself, your contract, or your prior written consent. If no..., separately from anything to do with the sickness itself. You have 3 months minus 1 day from the date of the underpayment to start a claim at the employment tribunalAn independent court that hears disputes between employees and employers. It is free to bring a claim as a claimant, and most hearings take place in public., though contacting ACASThe Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. A public body that provides free, impartial guidance on workplace rights and disputes, and runs the mandatory early conciliation process before any ... for early conciliationA free process run by ACAS that you must go through before you can submit a claim to an employment tribunal. ACAS contacts your employer to see if a settlement can be reached, and the process pauses y... pauses that clock.
Frequently asked questions
When did the changes to Statutory Sick Pay come into effect?
From 6 April 2026. The three-day unpaid waiting period was removed, and SSP is now payable from the first full day of eligible absence.
Do I still need to earn above a certain amount to qualify for sick pay?
No. The Lower Earnings Limit threshold has been removed, so SSP is now available to every eligible employee regardless of how much they earn.
How much Statutory Sick Pay will I get?
If your average weekly earnings are high enough, you get the flat rate of £123.25 a week from 6 April 2026. If you earn less than that, you get 80% of your average weekly earnings instead.
What should I do if my payslip doesn't reflect the new sick pay rules?
Raise it with your employer in writing before assuming the worst, since payroll systems don't always update on time. If you're still underpaid after raising it, this can usually be pursued as an unlawful deduction from wages.