Equity has today joined 23 sister trade unions in writing to the Prime Minister urging the Government to increase the rate of Statutory Sick Pay.
Statutory Sick Pay is currently only £116.75 a week. This means that many workers are unable to get by when they are sick, forcing them to go into work or face destitution. This weekly rate is set to rise by just £2 a week (to £118.75) from April 2025, this means that a full-time worker will get only £3 an hour if they take time off from work to recover from illness.
We have been calling for change and have joined the Safe Sick Pay campaign alongside 23 other trade unions.
We want to see the rate of Statutory Sick Pay increase so that people can take the time off they need to recover. To see this change in legislation, we need to work together to make sure MPs across the country hear from workers on why the current sick pay system is not fit for purpose.
You can use this tool to contact your MP and tell them why the rate of Statutory Sick Pay needs to increase.
If you’re an Equity member, the Social Security and Tax Advice team can provide you with free advice and representation regarding welfare benefits.
Full text of the letter
[Sent Fri 29 November 2024 c/o the Centre for Progressive Change]
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing as a group of trade unions concerned about the Government’s inaction on the low rate of Statutory Sick Pay.
As you’ll know, Statutory Sick Pay is only £116.75 a week, it is not paid for the first three days that someone is off sick and 1.3 million employees on low-pay are not eligible for it. This forces working people in the UK to come into work when they are sick or, if they take the time off, it means they can’t make ends meet.
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 Labour Party committed in its manifesto to “strengthen statutory sick pay, remove the lower earnings limit to make it available to all workers and remove the waiting period.” We are delighted to see the Employment Rights Bill include proposals for the latter two commitments, which will ensure that all employees receive sick pay and from the first day that they are off sick.
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.
We would like to meet with Ministers to discuss this further and we look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely,
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, URTU
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, IER
Michael Schwaabe, London President, AFA-CWA
