NHS sick pay - half-pay or half-pay plus SSP

[Deleted User]

bll78 wrote: »

It's an old post you're looking at pre ESA days. 26 weeks is 26 weeks whether it goes over the end of the NHS year or not. As you mentioned it he rules are very similar to SMP, SMP is for a maximum of 9 months so it would stop after 9 months even if your wife was on mat leave for a year.
So as sick leave is a linking period if your wife went back off sick and went straight on half pay because she's not worked enough in the middle to reinstate full pay, but she was eligible for SSP again she'd get half pay plus SSP on top, but not for the one period.

Right. But if SSP only lasts for 6 months then this is covered by full pay period. So when she went on half-pay there would be no SSP.

I guess only applies, for instance, for staff who only get 3 months full pay. I guess they'd get half-pay plus SSP for 3 months then.

adouglasmhor

[quote=[Deleted User];64951858]Right. But if SSP only lasts for 6 months then this is covered by full pay period. So when she went on half-pay there would be no SSP.

I guess only applies, for instance, for staff who only get 3 months full pay. I guess they'd get half-pay plus SSP for 3 months then.[/QUOTE]

Does the SSP last for six months from when claimed not from when you become sick though?

[Deleted User]

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I've been in this situation (and it's caused me a blinking nightmare) I can definitely confirm its half pay plus SSP for as long as the entitlement to SSP lasts. And I think that is in a calendar year as I was only entitled to one week SSP as my last lot ran out in November 2012 but I went off sick again long term in August 2013- they're generally pretty good paying the SSP but it's when the SSP runs out and you need to get an SSP1 out of them that the issues start.. I too work for the NHS and am on long term sick with no prospect of return currently.

But if employer pays full pay for 6 months they get to keep the SSP (they are after all giving you extra). After 6 months it runs out anyway so you're just left with employer half-pay.

Is this right?

chrisbur

[quote=[Deleted User];64952070]But if employer pays full pay for 6 months they get to keep the SSP (they are after all giving you extra). After 6 months it runs out anyway so you're just left with employer half-pay.

Is this right?[/QUOTE]

Without knowing the full details it is impossible to say exactly when SSP would have ended but entitlement could well have continued after the 6 months of full sick pay as SSP is payable for 28 weeks not 6 months. Also the 28 weeks is the period it is payable it does not include the three waiting days at the beginning when none is paid so has a possible maximum of 28 weeks and 3 days of sickness.

[Deleted User]

chrisbur wrote: »

Without knowing the full details it is impossible to say exactly when SSP would have ended but entitlement could well have continued after the 6 months of full sick pay as SSP is payable for 28 weeks not 6 months. Also the 28 weeks is the period it is payable it does not include the three waiting days at the beginning when none is paid so has a possible maximum of 28 weeks and 3 days of sickness.

So is there a rolling limit for SSP as you say? Like there is with the nhs sick pay entitlement.

Or is it per sickness? So theoretically, go back to work for one day and then it all starts again. I doubt that somehow lol.

notanewuser

[quote=[Deleted User];64964295]So is there a rolling limit for SSP as you say? Like there is with the nhs sick pay entitlement.

Or is it per sickness? So theoretically, go back to work for one day and then it all starts again. I doubt that somehow lol.[/QUOTE]

There's a linking period of 8 weeks.

https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/eligibility

(Seriously, do you not know how to google?!)

chrisbur

[quote=[Deleted User];64964295]So is there a rolling limit for SSP as you say? Like there is with the nhs sick pay entitlement.

Or is it per sickness? So theoretically, go back to work for one day and then it all starts again. I doubt that somehow lol.[/QUOTE]

SSP is paid for a PIW (period of incapacity for work)
A PIW is four or more consecutive days when you are unfit or treated as unfit for work during which no work at all has been done.
This PIW has three non paid waiting days and you can then have a maximum of 28 weeks SSP paid in it.
If you go back to work and then are sick again and a PIW is formed and the gap between these PIWs is eight weeks or less then they count as one PIW. For example if last PIW reached 20 days SSP then first qualifying day of new PIW would be day 21 of SSP.
If there is a gap of more than eight weeks then SSP starts over again with a new PIW and a new set of three waiting days and new maximum 28 weeks SSP.
If you manage to go three years with linking PIWs then your SSP ends.

[Deleted User]

chrisbur wrote: »

SSP is paid for a PIW (period of incapacity for work)
A PIW is four or more consecutive days when you are unfit or treated as unfit for work during which no work at all has been done.
This PIW has three non paid waiting days and you can then have a maximum of 28 weeks SSP paid in it.
If you go back to work and then are sick again and a PIW is formed and the gap between these PIWs is eight weeks or less then they count as one PIW. For example if last PIW reached 20 days SSP then first qualifying day of new PIW would be day 21 of SSP.
If there is a gap of more than eight weeks then SSP starts over again with a new PIW and a new set of three waiting days and new maximum 28 weeks SSP.
If you manage to go three years with linking PIWs then your SSP ends.

Thanks for explanation. So if sickness is 8 weeks apart its new then.....

OK. Think payroll have done it wrong then.

chrisbur

[quote=[Deleted User];64970290]Thanks for explanation. So if sickness is 8 weeks apart its new then.....

OK. Think payroll have done it wrong then.[/QUOTE]

Yes provided that we are talking about just SSP. If SSP had ended and ESA was being paid I believe that there is a different linking period, is this the case.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Chris. If I remember it was a case of sick for three months from June-Sep 2013, then she was back in work for few months. Then sick from Jan 2014 - June 2014 (when she started maternity). I remember she was told that half pay started in March 2014.

So I assume employer would have claimed SSP for June-Sep yet still paid her full pay and then would have been able to claim again starting Jan 2014 till June 2014 (since it was more than 8 weeks later).

Like I said from March 2014 she got half-pay but I thinks he should have got the SSP on top?