The All-Party Parliamentary Health Group is hosting a roundtable discussion in parliament in partnership with the Centre for progressive change on Statutory Sick Pay.

Across both physical and mental health, a range of estimates have put the combined costs of sickness absence, lost output and presenteeism at well over £100bn a year. At the same time, growth is slowing, productivity is stagnant and more and more workers are leaving the workforce because of ill health or disability.

The current system of Statutory Sick Pay is a key part of this problem. Existing research has highlighted the lack of financial and practical support the system provides and the knock-on impact on health, wellbeing and chances of returning to work.

Turning this around, and improving how SSP works, could have huge benefits for people and families right across the UK; providing a boost to incomes, tackling poverty and increasing health and wellbeing.

The Safe Sick Pay campaign brings together a cross-party group of MPs and Peers, as well as trade unions and health organisations, to advocate for reforming sick pay by:

• Removing the current waiting days requirement, that means that employees are only paid SSP from the fourth day that they are off work sick.
• Removing the lower earnings threshold, which means that many low paid employees get no sick pay at all.
• Increasing the rate of SSP, from the current rate of less than £110 per week. 

Chaired by Lord Bethell, this roundtable is seeking to discuss potential benefits of sick pay reform.

Speakers include:

• Matthew Oakley - Director of WPI Economics
• Conleth Burns - Senior Associate, Director of More in Common
• Sharon Brennan - Director of Policy and External Affairs, National Voices
• Alex Collinson - Policy Officer for Research and Analysis, TUC.

For further information or to register for this event please contact jasmin.adebisi [at] policyconnect.org.uk