Statutory Sick pay year

maxmycardagain

I believe SSP is paid for a maximum of 6 months in any year but what constitutes the year?

i had 2 months off in 2023, so is 2024 a whole new year or is the year 12 months from the start of that SSP period, or is the year the tax year april 2023-24?

Jonboy1889

I think it’s 28 weeks in a row maximum, tax years/calendar years have no impact on its duration

Brie

It should be in the company handbook or T&Cs of your contract.

Every company I've worked in used a rolling 12 month period.  So If you were off Jan/Feb 2023 you would start back at zero on 1 March 2024.  But if you were off Jan/Feb 2023, June 2023, Oct 2023, Dec 2023, Jan/Feb 2024 you would get SSP for everything up to Feb 2024 which would be the 7th month in a 12 month period.  You could then get SSP again for March and April 2024 but not for May.

TELLIT01

Depending on the time between periods of sickness, SSP claims may link.  It's a long time since I was involved but I'm sure somebody will come along with detail.  SSP is not linked to calendar year, tax year etc.

Newcad

I believe it's phrased as "26 weeks in a 12 month period" which does not specify when the 12 month period starts .

So when the 12 months start is the date  when you first get paid SSP from - and then you can have up to 26 weeks SSP in the next 12 months, after which time SSP will stop and you claim benefits instead.

Your employer can choose to pay sick pay for longer. or pay more than SSP - and some will still call that SSP even though it isn't. (SSP is the minimum that they have to pay not what they may choose to pay - companies can claim that minimum SSP amount back from the givernment but no more than that).

tizerbelle

If eligible for SSP, it can be paid for a maximum of 28 weeks.

If you have prior periods of sickness absence that received SSP, they may be linked and count towards the same 28 weeks.  To be linked each period of absence must be 4 working days or more and be 8 weeks or less apart.  If you have lots of absence that is linked, SSP will end at 28 weeks paid in total or 3 years of linked absences - whichever comes first.  (The 3 years thing is extreme - not something I've ever seen).

If you were off sick getting SSP and then returned to work and worked more than 8 full weeks, your entitlement to 28 weeks SSP restarts

tizerbelle

Newcad said:

I believe it's phrased as "26 weeks in a 12 month period" which does not specify when the 12 month period starts .

So when the 12 months start is the date  when you first get paid SSP from - and then you can have up to 26 weeks SSP in the next 12 months, after which time SSP will stop and you claim benefits instead.

Your employer can choose to pay sick pay for longer. or pay more than SSP - and some will still call that SSP even though it isn't. (SSP is the minimum that they have to pay not what they may choose to pay - companies can claim that minimum SSP amount back from the givernment but no more than that).

Companies can't reclaim any SSP back from the government - that ended in 2014.  There was a temporary ability to reclaim SSP for some COVID-related absences during the pandemic but no other types of sickness and that has also ended.

There is no 12 month period either in relation to SSP.  Quite a few company sickness policies do refer to company sick pay being XX days/weeks in a (rolling) 12 month period - that may be what you are thinking about.  It's not the same for SSP

maxmycardagain

From Gov.uk


You can get £109.40 per week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re too ill to work. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks.

Linked periods of sickness

If you have regular periods of sickness, they may count as ‘linked’. To be linked, the periods must:

• last 4 or more days each
• be 8 weeks or less apart

You’re no longer eligible for SSP if you have a continuous series of linked periods that lasts more than 3 years.

it seems its 28 weeks maximum without stating any year period...

it doesnt cost the employer anything as they recoup it from the tax/N.I. they collect off the whole workforce

tizerbelle

maxmycardagain said:

I believe SSP is paid for a maximum of 6 months in any year but what constitutes the year?

i had 2 months off in 2023, so is 2024 a whole new year or is the year 12 months from the start of that SSP period, or is the year the tax year april 2023-24?

Tax / Holiday / Financial /Calendar years have no bearing on SSP.  

If you haven't been back at work for 8 full weeks after your last absence when you go back off sick, then the 2 periods will be linked and will all count towards the 28 week limit.

If you have been back at work for more than 8 full weeks, then your entitlement to 28 weeks SSP resets

maxmycardagain

A self-certification certificate is valid for absences for the first continuous seven-day period. Absence beyond seven days requires a full doctor’s certificate. If your absence is beyond three days, the company may pay Statutory Sick Pay, but this will be determined in accordance with your current salary.

A return-to-work interview may be arranged after a period of absence which will be conducted by a member of the HR Department. A suitable time and date will be arranged for this to be conducted at our Head Office. The Handbook has more detailed information 

tizerbelle

maxmycardagain said:

A self-certification certificate is valid for absences for the first continuous seven-day period. Absence beyond seven days requires a full doctor’s certificate. If your absence is beyond three days, the company may pay Statutory Sick Pay, but this will be determined in accordance with your current salary.

A return-to-work interview may be arranged after a period of absence which will be conducted by a member of the HR Department. A suitable time and date will be arranged for this to be conducted at our Head Office. The Handbook has more detailed information 

The bit you have bolded will refer to the lower earning limit criteria for eligibility for SSP, you have to earn more than £123 per week (£533/month, £6,396/year) to be eligible.  You get SSP if you meet all the eligibility criteria and haven't exhausted your entitlement.  If that is the case, your employer has to pay SSP as a minimum, it's not optional.