As of April 2019, the rules regarding sick pay will change and it’s important that you know what these changes are.
A problem with falling ill is that sometimes it means you can’t work. Therefore, this makes people worry about earning money.
Fortunately, you are entitled to be paid by your employer even when you’re ill. However, this depends on how much you earn weekly.
What are the current rules?
You are entitled to statutory sick pay for all days you’re off sick, excluding the first three days which are known as ‘qualifying days’.
Employers are legally obliged to pay £92.05 per week to staff if they’re off sick for four or more days consecutively. This weekly pay can last for as long as 28 weeks if the employee is sick for that long.
However, your entitlement to this money may change in April because of new employment rules from the government.
What are the new sick pay rules?
There will be a new weekly income threshold for statutory sick pay. Consequently, it is possible that people will lose their entitlement to such benefits.
The current minimum amount you must earn each week is £116 to be entitled to receive the amount. This equates to approximately £23 per day. From April, you will need to earn £118 weekly to qualify.
However, it’s not all bad news because the entitlement you receive (if you qualify) is going up. It’ll be jumping from a £92.05 weekly pay-cheque to £94.25; an extra £2.20 a week. Furthermore, you’ll be earning more on maternity or paternity leave with £148.68 a week, which is an increase of £3.50.
Jamie Brown, Employment Solicitor here at Wosskow Brown said, “I think the increase in entitlement is good news and fitting given the ever-increasing cost of living. However, I worry we have now increased the threshold to exclude those most vulnerable. Those such as low-earning cleaners or dinner ladies, who do not have the option to work more hours, will suffer even more at the hands of a genuine illness.”
