From April 2026, major changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) under the Employment Rights Act will fundamentally alter how sickness absence impacts employers. While the intention is to create fairer access to sick pay, could absence become more frequent? And more expensive?
Day-one entitlement: SSP will be payable from the first day of absence, rather than the fourth.
Expanded eligibility: SSP will extend to all workers, including those earning below £123 per week.
Income-based payments: Eligible employees will receive 80% of their wages during sickness absence.
Higher weekly rate: Standard SSP will rise from £116.75 to £118.75 per week, for up to 28 weeks.
Taken together, these changes mean the financial burden of sickness absence moves from the employee to the employer – a shift that could influence behaviour in the workplace.
Why Employee Behaviour May Change
When absence becomes less financially painful, it can unintentionally lower the barrier to taking time off. This doesn’t mean employees will act dishonestly but human behaviour responds to incentives.
We’ve already seen how external events can drive absenteeism and with the 2026 World Cup approaching, and SSP payable from day one, the potential impact of these behavioural patterns is amplified.
34.2 million Brits admit to skipping work or responsibilities to watch sporting events (London Daily News, April 2024)
Google searches for “reasons to call in sick at work” rose by 54% during the England vs Belgium World Cup match in 2018 (smallbusiness.co.uk, July 2018)
54% of British employees admitted they were likely to skip work after the England vs Spain EURO 2024 final (employeebenefits.co.uk, July 2024)
If England reached the semi-finals, 1.2 million UK workers said they would call in sick to watch (FBCMB, Nov 2022)
During the Semi Finals, 1 in 3 Brits planned to pull a sickie or make an excuse to catch the England game. With 51% of fans in London saying they would most likely skip work to be on time for the kickoff (Bhayani Law, July 2024)
Sickness Absence Is Already at Record Levels
This shift comes at a time when workplace sickness is already rising sharply:
Sickness absence costs the UK economy an estimated £212 billion annually
For employers alone, workplace sickness costs around £85 billion a year
Day-one SSP could risk accelerating this trend if organisations aren’t prepared.
What Employers Can Do Now
Review sickness and absence policies
Ensure policies are clear, consistent, and focused on both fairness and accountability.Strengthen absence reporting procedures
Clear processes reduce ambiguity and discourage casual or unplanned absence.Plan for peak absence periods
Sporting events, seasonal illness, and school holidays all increase risk.
Build reliable backfill strategies
Having temporary staff or flexible cover options ready can protect productivity.
Track and analyse absence trends
Data-driven insights make it easier to spot patterns early and respond effectively.
From April 2026, sickness absence won’t just be an HR issue — it will be a cost-control and workforce resilience challenge. Businesses that prepare now will be far better positioned to absorb the impact, maintain service levels, and support their teams responsibly.
A well-structured absence management approach doesn’t just reduce risk – it creates clarity for employees and confidence for employers.
