The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will rise to £127.55 a week from April 2027, with the standard rate for 2026-2027 set at £123.25. The new figures were published today (Wednesday, November 11) as part of a broader update on benefits rates.
SSP is the legal minimum amount that employers in the UK must pay to eligible employees who are off work due to illness. The confirmation follows changes introduced earlier this year under the Employment Rights Act, which affect around 15 million people.
Day one rights and the end of the waiting period
The most significant change now in force has transformed sick pay into a "day one" right, removing the three-day waiting period and the earnings threshold. Up to 1.3 million of the lowest earners will now receive statutory sick pay from their first day of illness.
The lower earnings limit has been removed, meaning workers no longer need to earn a minimum amount to be eligible for statutory sick pay. Other updates to employment law include "day one" rights for parental and bereavement leave, and the termination of unethical fire and rehire practices.
Employer concerns and Acas advice
A survey of more than 1,000 employers about the Employment Rights Act found that one in three said paying statutory sick pay from the first day of illness would be the hardest change, while more than one in four said it would be the right to take paternity leave from the first day of employment.
Baroness Maggie Jones, who chairs employment relations service Acas, said: "The reforms in the Employment Rights Act are the biggest shake-up to employment law in a generation, and it is vital that employers get up to speed quickly.
"The new day-one rights on sick pay and paternity are already in effect and new protections against unfair dismissals are set to come in next year.
"Acas has updated its advice on probations to reflect the new changes on unfair dismissals, which is a significant change in the law. Businesses that get on top of all the changes early can prevent costly disputes from happening."
Other changes from October 30
Several changes came into force on October 30 2026. Employers must now take "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment of their workers, where the law previously said "reasonable steps". Employers are also liable for harassment from third parties, such as customers or clients, unless they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent it.
How a trade union can be recognised in a workplace has been simplified. From October 30, workers recruited after a trade union recognition application is submitted can be excluded from the recognition process. The complaints process for unfair practice during a recognition ballot has also changed, with trade unions or employers able to make complaints within 5 working days of a ballot closing, up from one working day previously.
Rules on trade union rights to access the workplace were also updated on October 30, including physical and digital access, and this applies to non-recognised trade unions. The new benefit rates take effect from April, with the standard SSP rate rising to £127.55 a week for 2027-2028.
