Sick Pay Levels Spark Concerns Among Doctors and Unions

Trade unions urged the UK government to increase SSP alleging that low payments put employees in a vulnerable position of having to borrow. Saying that due to low paid sick leave, people are delaying their treatments or coming back to work and falling sick again, union leaders have appealed to the Prime Minister for action. The highly debated Employment Rights Bill can be extended to eligibility changes, although unions argue that the payment level remains the heart of the matter.

24 leaders of UK unions, including those of Royal College of Nursing and the British Medical Association have called on the government to raise the amount of SSP. Some workers on SSP are paid as low as £3 an hour while sick; some cannot even afford to take time off. A study by the GMB union revealed that 31% of care staff lose money when on sick leave because SSP is less than a third of the current minimum wage for workers over 21.

SSP which Labour, now in government, promised to improve during opposition years failed to deliver on increased funding. While an increase of £2 per week is due from April, it will bring SSP, £118.75, unions claim it is still below the basic living rates.