How much is SSP?

Many employers provide an occupational sick pay scheme that is more generous than the statutory sick pay (SSP) scheme. Employees who are not entitled to occupational sick pay but who meet the qualifying criteria for SSP are entitled to SSP of £86.70 week (since April 2013), for a maximum of 28 weeks. To receive SSP, an employee must earn an average of at least £109 a week. SSP is paid by the employer in the same way as wages, but it is reclaimed from the state.

Agency workers who meet the qualifying conditions are entitled to SSP from the first day of their contract. Whoever is responsible for deducting national insurance from their earnings is responsible for payment of SSP.

Workers or employees who are not entitled to SSP may qualify for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or disability living allowance (DLA) — which started to be replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP) from April 2013. For more information about the state benefits you may be eligible to claim, see the LRD Booklet State Benefits and Tax Credits 2013. .

Pregnant women can claim SSP, unless they are sick for a pregnancy-related reason from four weeks before the baby’s expected week of birth, in which case they will start getting Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA) (see Chapter 8). Women in receipt of SMP cannot claim SSP at the same time.