A significant shift in workers’ rights is set to take hold across the United Kingdom next month, as amendments to statutory sick pay rules come into force on April 6. The changes, part of the newly passed Employment Rights Act, will alter how and when employees receive financial support during illness, a reform that advocates have long called overdue.
For decades, workers in Britain faced a frustrating gap in coverage: unless they had already used sick pay within the previous eight weeks, they were required to wait through three unpaid working days before any statutory sick pay kicked in. That gap is now being closed.
What Changes on April 6, and Who Benefits
The new Employment Rights Act removes both the waiting period for statutory sick pay and the minimum earnings threshold required to qualify for it. Under previous rules, only those earning at least £125 per week were eligible, a condition that quietly excluded a substantial segment of the workforce, particularly part-time and lower-wage workers.
From April 6, workers will receive sick pay from the very first day of illness, and the earnings floor is being abolished entirely, opening eligibility to those who previously fell below the threshold. The weekly rate itself also rises, from £118.75 to £123.25.
According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the scale of impact is considerable. Up to 1.3 million employees who currently earn below the Lower Earnings Limit will be brought into eligibility for the first time, while around 25% of all employees who rely solely on statutory sick pay during illness will now receive that support from day one rather than day four.
The DWP estimates that more than 15 million workers in the UK stand to benefit from the reforms overall, a figure that underscores just how widely the old framework had left people exposed during periods of genuine health crisis.
A Gradual Rollout, With Broad Support From Business and Unions
While the changes are substantial, the government has opted for a phased implementation. The reforms will be introduced gradually from April 6 over a two-year period, giving businesses adequate time to adapt their payroll and HR practices. This measured approach appears to have softened potential resistance from employers wary of increased costs.
Indeed, reaction from the business community has been notably positive. Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica, welcomed the legislation, arguing that worker welfare and commercial performance are not at odds. “A stable, fair framework for work helps businesses plan, invest and grow with confidence,” he said, adding that “what is good for workers is also good for business and that is ultimately good for the economy as a whole.”
The DWP’s own analysis lends weight to that optimism. The removal of the waiting period means no employees will be entitled to less statutory sick pay for the first three weeks of a sickness absence, a period that, according to the DWP Employee Survey 2023, accounts for 87% of all sickness absences. That means the vast majority of those who fall ill will, for the first time, have meaningful financial protection from the moment they are unable to work.
