The rules around sick pay are changing from April 6 (Image: kieferpix via Getty Images)
Anyone taking time off sick will experience a significant change after April 6. From that date Statutory Sick Pay will be payable from the first full day of sickness absence and will be available to more employees.
The Government says the changes help ensure that lower-paid employees have financial security when they are unwell and can help reduce the spread of infection within a workplace.
The change comes as new research suggested the new rights on sick pay will have the biggest impact on workers and employers. A study commissioned by the conciliation service Acas on changes in the Employment Rights Act found that new protections on unfair dismissals were also named as having a big impact.
Employers ranked new paternity leave rights as their third biggest and workers opted for the new changes on flexible working. Acas said the findings will help it target support for workers and bosses where they need it the most.
Niall Mackenzie, Acas chief executive, said: “The Employment Rights Act is a major shake-up in employment law and will impact businesses and workers across the country. It’s crucial that both employers and employees get to grips with the new rules, and Acas remains best placed as independent experts helping everyone at work throughout this period of change.”
“Acas will be working with employers, workers and their representatives on the implementation of the Employment Rights Act and we will be updating our advice and training.”
The survey revealed that 43% of employers believe that workers receiving sick pay from the first day of illness rather than the fourth would have the most significant impact on them, with 36% of workers also citing this as their biggest impact.
Protection from unfair dismissal after six months in a role instead of two years was the second most frequently chosen reform, selected by 31% of employers and 30% of employees. These changes will be implemented from 6 April.
Key changes
- Statutory Sick Pay will be available to all eligible employees regardless of their earnings (the Lower Earnings Limit is being removed).
- Statutory Sick Pay will be payable from the first full day of sickness absence (the three-day waiting period is being removed).
- The rate of Statutory Sick Pay for all employees will be calculated at 80% of their average weekly earnings or the flat weekly rate, whichever is lower.
Key dates:
- April 2026: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Paternity Leave become “Day One” rights.
- April 2026: The new Fair Work Agency launches to enforce holiday pay and sick pay rules.
- January 2027 (Expected): The new “6-month rule” for unfair dismissal takes effect.
April 2026: pay, leave and consultation changes
Employment costs will rise. From 1 April 2026, minimum hourly pay rates will be £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for ages 18-20, and £8.00 for under‑18s and apprentices. Statutory parental pay will rise to £194.32 per week, and statutory sick pay (SSP) to £123.25 per week, with SSP payable from day one of absence.
October 2026: fire & rehire and harassment duties
The act will make “fire and rehire” practices more difficult, particularly for changes to core terms such as pay. Employers will need stronger justification and more robust consultation before imposing contractual changes.
Sexual harassment obligations will expand. Employers must take “all reasonable steps” to prevent harassment, including by subcontractors, agency workers and clients.
Sexual harassment becomes a protected disclosure in its own right
Currently, an employee may be protected as a whistleblower if they report sexual harassment, but this is not absolute. Under the new rules, the act of reporting sexual harassment will be specifically considered as a protected disclosure on its own, subject to the existing conditions for all types of whistleblowing complaints.
According to research, women stand to gain from new workers’ rights measures being implemented from next month. The TUC has stated that approximately 4.7 million women are poised to benefit from enhanced sick pay from April, including over 830,000 women who will receive statutory sick pay for the first time.
These are the lowest paid women, who currently do not qualify for sick pay because their earnings fall below the £125 per week threshold, the study discovered.
The TUC argued that low-paid workers, particularly women, have been deprived of any form of sick pay for far too long, forcing them to work even when unwell.
In addition to improved sick pay, from April, fathers and partners will have an immediate entitlement to paternity leave, and all parents will acquire the immediate right to unpaid parental leave under amendments to the Employment Rights Act.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “For too long women have borne the brunt of a sick pay system that is not fit for purpose, and a culture of exploitative, insecure work.
“That’s why the Employment Rights Act is an important step forward for women at work.”
A Government spokesperson stated: “The Employment Rights Act is a huge boost for women in the workplace – introducing enhanced protections for pregnant women and new mothers, menopause action plans for large employers and rights for parental leave from day one.
“Women thriving in the workplace is not just important for equality but for boosting economic growth.”