Statutory Sick Pay

Sickness is a common problem for many people, with the World Health Organisation estimating that around one in three people suffers from at least one illness every year. In the UK, there are currently two types of statutory sick pay, which are for employed and self-employed workers. These are benefit payments made by the government to an employee or a worker who is unable to work because they have been ill or injured.

What is Statutory Sick Pay?

 

Statutory sick pay is the amount of money that an employee gets if they stay at home due to illness or injury. They receive this money, which is meant to cover the cost of their care, via the social security agency. The payment helps people to recover from an illness or injury and stay in good health while they take their time off. It is usually paid by the employer or the government, depending on the type of work that you do and other factors like how long you have been in your position.

The Statutory Sick Pay Act was established in the United Kingdom in 1983.

This act introduced a level of protection for employees who suffer from an unexpected illness or injury that renders them unable to work. The Statutory Sick Pay Act is the first legislation of its kind to be introduced in the UK, and it’s still relevant today.

As health insurance became more common in the 20th century, statutory sick pay became more important since it offered workers some protection against illness or injury. Statutory sick pay is still used today, and its importance has increased in recent years due to changing work patterns and economic conditions.

For the employee, it should be easy to find statutory sick pay because they are automatically eligible for it after meeting certain conditions of employment. However, if they work outside of the UK and abroad, then this type of sick pay may not exist in their country. For example, in France, employees are only entitled to a short-term period of paid leave for “health reasons” but not through social security agencies as in other countries.

SSP can also be known as short-term sickness absence (STSA). It is a week’s paid leave where no employment rights apply, and it falls under private law contracts between worker and employer.

Who Receives or Claims Statutory Sick Pay?

The UK has an employment law called the Employment Act of 1996 that governs who will be eligible for statutory sick pay. This law defines the term “employee” as any person who is employed to work, or engaged to work, for a company or in any other capacity that is covered by the Employment Rights Act of 1996. It establishes who will be entitled to statutory sick pay and how much they will be able to receive.

The United Kingdom benefits from a comprehensive system of national insurance that provides statutory sick pay to employees. In the event of an injury or illness that prevents you from carrying out your work, statutory sick pay is designed to help you make ends meet.

Employees are entitled to claim statutory sick pay if they fulfil one of these conditions:

  • Be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer.
  • Earn an average of at least £123 per week.
  • Have been ill for at least four days in a row (including non-working days).

The employee is not qualified for statutory sick pay if:

  • have received the maximum amount of SSP (28 weeks)
  • are getting Statutory Maternity Pay

When Can the Statutory Sick Pay be Claimed?

Statutory Sick Pay

In the UK, if you qualify for statutory sick pay, you can claim it no matter what your age is. However, this only includes people who are employed and working in the UK. You can get £99.35 per week in Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ) if you’re too ill to work.

When can I Claim Statutory Sick Pay? You can claim the statutory sick pay from the fourth day you’re off sick.

The employee shall only be paid SSP for the first three working days that he is off sick if either of the following circumstances applies:

  • If the period you were away from work started before 25 March 2022, and you were off sick because of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • If you received SSP within the lasteight8 weeks, and that already included a 3-day waiting period before you were paid SSP.

What are the Documents Required for Claiming the SSP?Statutory Sick Pay

The United Kingdom has a long tradition of issuing statutory sick pay. The current law places the employer in charge of providing it to employees who are unable to work due to illness, injury, or their own incapacity. In the year 2021, when statutory sick pay is available to all UK citizens, a considerable amount of documents will be required in order to claim it.

  • The original birth certificate issued by the National Health Service or a passport.
  • A form of residence document, either a visa, work permit or student ID card.
  • The last two forms of income are from before April 2018 (one from each parent).
  • Proof that you are in contact with your parents on a regular basis and that you live with them. This can be anything from an email account for your parents to proof of your last contact with them, like a phone call or letter.
  • It is also important to have personal medical records.

Who Will Claim Statutory Sick Pay for the Employee?

If you are suffering from a long-term illness or injury, statutory sick pay is a scheme designed to provide financial help with your bills and living expenses. The amount of time that you may be able to get the entitlement is usually between four and twelve weeks.

The process for claiming statutory sick pay varies depending on whether you are employed or self-employed. If you’re employed, your employer will make a claim on your behalf. If you’re self-employed, then you have to make a claim yourself.

The United Kingdom has different working patterns and social protection between employed and self-employed people. Some of the main differences are in taxation, statutory sick pay, and maternity or paternity leave. Some employers can offer both types of workers the same rights, but not all.

The UK has its own rules for what benefits self-employed people get when they fall ill. The United Kingdom has its own rules and regulations to dictate how much statutory sick pay an individual can claim from employers and government officials. These vary from country to country, which is why it is hard to compare one to another.

The main argument against the self-employed getting sick pay is that they should be responsible for their illness themselves instead of receiving help from others.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, statutory sick pay can be a valuable benefit for employees who are unable to work due to illness or injury. This benefit can help employees maintain their standard of living during periods of illness.

  • Who qualifies for statutory sick pay depends on whether the employee meets one of the qualifications cited in this article or not.
  • Claiming statutory sick pay is not a problem if you are not self-employed because the employer will be responsible for giving it to you; otherwise, you are responsible for the processes for claiming SSP.

FAQs

Can a disabled citizen claim statutory sick pay?

A disabled person who is employed has the right to claim statutory sick pay if they have been off work for three days or more as a result of their dysfunction.

The law surrounding statutory sick pay is complicated, and there are a number of factors that can affect whether someone is entitled to it, including their age, the type of work they do and whether they are self-employed but as long as the general criteria can be met and the required documents can be presented, an employee has a right for statutory sick pay.

What to do if the required documents for claiming the SSP were lost?

If you have lost the required documents on claiming the SSP, then you can apply for a new one by submitting a form available on the website. You will need to provide your personal information and proof of identity.

If you lost your SSP or it was stolen, then you should contact the SSP’s call centre immediately to claim a replacement. Keep in mind that if you lose your card and it is not recovered, then you will not be able to make any claims with it again.

Can I claim statutory sick pay if I already received maternity leave?

In general, maternity leave is a period of time when a woman is allowed to take off work to give birth. If you have already taken maternity leave and are now claiming statutory sick pay, you may be able to do so. However, it depends on your contract.

The answer to this question largely depends on the terms of your employment contract. If you have a written contract that states that maternity leave can’t be taken twice in the same year, then you should not claim sick pay as it would be double dipping. This is because if you are claiming sickness benefits for any other reason, then statutory sick pay must also be claimed for this reason too.