UK Trade unions call on government to act on manifesto promise to strengthen statutory sick pay

Olivia Barber 

9 December, 2024 

Left Foot Forward


Union leaders stress that statutory sick pay in the UK is 'set at one of the lowest levels in the industrialised world'

Trade union general secretaries have voiced concerns about the government’s “inaction” on statutory sick pay.

Bosses from 24 trade unions have written to the prime minister saying that the current rate of statutory sick pay (SSP), which is set at one of the lowest levels in the industrialised world, is currently too low for many workers to safely recover from illness.

Addressing the Trades Union Congress in Liverpool last year, Angela Rayner said that a Labour government would increase statutory sick pay, but she didn’t specify by how much.

In its election manifesto, Labour pledged to “strengthen statutory sick pay, remove the lower earnings limit to make it available to all workers and remove the waiting period”.

The new Employment Rights Bill includes proposals to remove the lower earnings limit to make it available to all workers and start SSP payments from the first day they are off sick.

The letter added: “But where is the Government’s plan to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay? Even with the changes to Statutory Sick Pay proposed in the Bill, a full-time employee will only receive £3 an hour when they are off sick – one of the lowest replacement rates in the OECD.

“We believe an increase in the rate of Statutory Sick Pay is needed so that workers can meet the cost of living in their time of need.”

In April 2025, the weekly SSP rate will rise by £2 a week to £118.75, leaving a full time worker on £3 an hour if they take time off from work due to illness.

The group of trade unions said that this either forces people to work when they are ill or leaves them struggling to make ends meet if they take time off.

The letter said: “We’ve heard of workers delaying their cancer treatment because on £116 a week they don’t know how they’ll be able to put food on the table.

“We’ve heard of workers struggling into work with a broken leg as they couldn’t afford the bills.

“And we’ve heard of workers taking time off and getting into debt, having to leave the workforce or falling into destitution.”

The group of trade unions said it would like to meet with ministers to further discuss the issue.

The trade unions that signed the letter were:

Professor Philip Banfield, Council Chair, British Medical Association
Professor Nicola Ranger, General Secretary & Chief Executive, Royal College of Nursing
Dave Ward, General Secretary, CWU
Maryam Eslamdoust, General Secretary, TSSA
Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary, National Education Union
Paul Fleming, General Secretary, Equity
Dr Jo Grady, General Secretary, UCU
Mick Lynch, General Secretary, RMT
Sarah Woolley, General Secretary, BFAWU
Michelle Stanistreet, General Secretary, NUJ
Brian Linn, General Secretary, AEGIS
Fran Heathcote, General Secretary, PCS
Emma Clay, General Secretary, Nationwide Group Staff Union
Zita Holbourne, Co-Chair, Artists Union England
Oshor Williams, Assistant Director of Education, Professional Footballers Association
Ian Lawrence, General Secretary, NAPO
Steve Gillan, General Secretary, POA
Bob Monks, General Secretary, United Road Transport Union
John McGowan, General Secretary, Social Workers Union
Julia Georgio, General Secretary, NHBC Staff Association
Gawain Little, General Secretary, General Federation of Trade Unions
Lord John Hendy, Chair, Institute of Employment Rights
Michael Schwaabe, London President, Association of Flight Attendants, CWA

Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward