UK Sick Pay Expands to Day One for Millions

Millions of UK workers gained enhanced protections on April 6, 2026, as new statutory sick pay rules took effect, eliminating the three-day waiting period and extending eligibility to low earners previously excluded from the system.

Under the changes introduced through the Employment Rights Act 2025, employees now receive statutory sick pay from the first full day of illness, rather than after three days of absence. The previous £125 weekly earnings threshold has been removed, allowing those earning below that amount, often part-time or low-wage staff, to qualify for the first time. Payments are set at 80 percent of average weekly earnings or £123.25 per week, whichever is lower, and can continue for up to 28 weeks. Analysis from the Trades Union Congress indicates that up to 9.6 million workers will benefit, including 8.4 million who now access pay from day one and 1.2 million newly eligible individuals.

The reforms address longstanding gaps in the UK's system, which had required a minimum earnings level and delayed payments, forcing many to work while unwell or forgo income. This disproportionately affected women, who hold a larger share of low-paid and part-time roles, as...