Sickness absence done right

Supporting staff while protecting your business

Sickness absence is an inevitable part of running a business, but the way it’s managed can have a significant impact on workplace culture and overall productivity. Poorly handled absence can disrupt your business, place pressure on other members of your team and have you pulling your hair out about the ‘right’ thing to do.

With important changes to Statutory Sick Pay coming into effect this April, it’s more important than ever for small businesses to have effective sickness absence

management in place.

In this article, we explore the key changes to Statutory Sick Pay and outline practical, proactive steps you can take to minimise the impact of sickness absence on your business.

Key changes to your obligations as an employer

From April 6, 2026, significant changes are coming to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

• SSP will be paid from the first day of illness, instead of the fourth day.

• The Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) will be removed which means SSP will be available to all employees regardless of earnings.

• The weekly rate of SSP is increasing to a flat rate of £123.25 a week. SPP paid will either be this flat rate, or 80% of an employee’s Average Weekly Earnings, whichever is lower.

It’s important to remember that SSP is the legal minimum. Many companies offer more generous contractual sick pay, which should be clearly outlined in your sickness policy.

What these changes mean for employers

The changes to SSP mean there are several things you need to do to make sure you are ready, and given April is only a couple of months away it pays to think about them now.

Update payroll

Payroll systems will need to be adjusted for day-one payments and to reflect the new earnings-based calculation.

Review your sickness absence policy

This is a great opportunity to review any policies you have on sickness to ensure all staff know what is expected of them. A robust policy also has the added bonus of removing the temptation for people to just not show up. Your policy should include:

• When staff should notify absence

• Who they should contact

• How they should get in contact. We always recommend saying they must call in, as it’s a lot harder to lie than if simply sending an email or text!

• A clear understanding of the difference between self-certification and fit notes and at what point, and how often you will need to see fit notes

• Return-to-work meetings and procedures

Train managers

Make sure HR and any managers understand the new rules and have a clear understanding of your sickness absence policy.

Budget for costs

Inevitably, the changes will result in an increase in costs, so make sure this is factored into your budgets.

What else can employers do?

But managing sickness is much more than just about having good policies and procedures in place. Ultimately, you’re dealing with people, so being a good employer who has a good relationship with their staff can go a long way to reducing the amount of absence your business faces.

1. Make sure people want to be at work

A happy, healthy workforce takes fewer sick days. That doesn’t mean forcing people in when they’re ill but rather thinking about how to make your workplace somewhere people want to be. Think about:

• offering flexible working where feasible

• ensuring workloads are manageable

• promoting wellbeing.

Remember, if people don’t want to be at work, you have a bigger issue than sickness absence!

2. Stay in touch during absence

We’re always a bit surprised by how many employers just choose to ignore someone when they’re off sick. And while you shouldn’t harass anyone, you have a right to know what’s happening and when they are likely to come back to work.

Agree how and when you’ll stay in touch and then keep to it! Not only will it help maintain a good relationship with your employee, but honest communication reduces the risk of misunderstanding further down the line.

3. Keep talking

If patterns of absence emerge, don’t automatically jump to the assumption that formal meetings or disciplinary steps are the only answer. It’s much better to have an open conversation about what’s going on, whether there’s an underlying health issue you need to know about, or if you can make any reasonable adjustments that would alleviate the situation

4. Use return-to-work meetings

A short chat when someone returns to work to check how they are and whether they need any additional support can make a huge difference. Not only does it show you care, but it can also help prevent future absences.

5. Get the balance right!

While someone going off sick can be bad for business and put pressure on other team members, ironically someone not coming in is sometimes a good thing!

Think about it. Do you really want them to come in when they aren’t 100%? When they are more likely to make mistakes? When there is a risk, they could infect other people? Sometimes a sick day is a good investment for your business!

What if you’re faced with long-term or persistent absence?

If despite doing all the above, you are still faced with long-term or persistent absence, then it might be time to talk to a HR professional. There are lawful ways to end employment if it’s no longer reasonable to keep that job open. But it needs to be handled carefully if you don’t want to be faced with a case of unfair dismissal. We are more than happy to have a confidential chat with you if you think you’ve reached this difficult point.

Ultimately, sickness absence isn’t about policing people. It’s about supporting health and creating a workplace full of happy, successful people. Yes, the changes coming in are going to have an impact on your business, but a more supportive sick pay policy is also going to increase staff morale, loyalty and productivity. And that’s definitely a good thing in the long run.