From 6 April 2026, two SSP changes take effect simultaneously.
- The three waiting days are abolished. SSP is now payable from day one of sickness absence – not day four.
- The lower earnings limit is removed. Workers who previously earned below roughly £123 a week were not entitled to SSP at all. Every employee is now entitled to it, regardless of what they earn.
The immediate, practical consequences:-
- any sickness absence policy that references waiting days is now inaccurate. An employer whose policy contains incorrect information about employee entitlements is not in a good position.
- You may now have SSP obligations you did not have in March.
Looking forward, the removal of waiting days changes the economics of short-term absence management in a way that most line managers haven’t thought through yet. Managers who previously took a relaxed approach to a one-day absence – partly because there was no payment obligation – now need to understand that every absence costs money from the very first day. Return-to-work procedures and absence trigger points need revisiting.
If your sickness absence policy hasn’t been updated this year, it needs to be. Our Employment Team are happy to discuss with you what a review involves and assist with ensuring your policies are up-to-date and fit for purpose.