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Reforming statutory sick pay

Following its summer 2019 consultation entitled “Health is everyone’s business: proposals for reducing ill health-related job loss”, the government has now published its response which takes into account the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on work and health. The response confirms that the government:

  • will not be proceeding with the consultation proposal to introduce a new right for non-disabled employees to request work or workplace modifications on health grounds – note that the existing duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff under the Equality Act 2010 will remain in place
  • will be taking forward its manifesto commitment to encourage flexible working and to consult on making it the default unless employers have good reasons not to – that consultation will be published “in due course”
  • will develop a national information and advice service for employers on health, work and disability, with material designed to help manage common health and disability events in the workplace
  • has asked the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to work on developing non-statutory guidance to support disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to remain in work (and the HSE will also explore introducing statutory guidance in this area)
  • will not be implementing the range of measures proposed to reform statutory sick pay (SSP) at this stage because “now is not the right time to introduce changes to the sick pay system”. However, the government does acknowledge that several important questions posed in the consultation on the future of SSP require further consideration, so reform in this area is still possible in the future
  • is exploring extending fit note certification to a wider group of healthcare professionals
  • intends to introduce digital certifying of fit notes (to remove the current requirement for them to be signed in ink) and create a new interactive version of the fit note which will provide advice and support for suggested workplace adaptations/modifications to encourage work and health discussions between patients and employers
  • will test a subsidy scheme to enable SMEs and self-employed people to access quality occupational health (OH) support and will work with key stakeholder organisations to explore how it may be able to support innovative ideas that increase the purchasing of OH by SMEs and the self-employed
  • will continue to promote and raise awareness of the Access to Work programme.

More Posts

Breaking even – checking the numbers

In previous newsfeeds we have described how you can calculate the level of turnover you need to create in order to meet all your costs whether they be fixed costs (rent, rates etc.,) or variable costs (goods you need to buy to convert into goods you sell).

For example, if your fixed costs are £50,000 per annum and your variable costs are 25% of your turnover, the annual turnover you need to breakeven will be £200,000. The formula is:

Annual fixed costs divided by 25 (the gross profit)

Bereavement Support Payment

The amount of Bereavement Support Payment you can claim will depend on your relationship to the person who died and when you make your claim.

Your payments will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you were married or in a registered civil partnership with the person who died

If you were receiving Child Benefit when your partner died (or did not get it but were entitled to it), you will get the higher rate.

This is made up of:

a first payment of £3,500;

Tax codes for employees

The P9X form is used to notify employers of the tax codes to use for employees. The latest version of the form has been published and shows the tax codes to use from 6 April 2023. The form states that the basic personal allowance for the tax year starting 6 April 2023 will, as expected, be £12,570 (£12,570 in 2022-23) and this means that the tax code for emergency use will remain at 1257L.

The basic rate limit will be £37,700 (£37,700 in 2022-23) except for those defined as Scottish taxpayers

Properties not let at commercial rates

There are special rules where a property is let at less than a commercial rate or isn’t let on commercial terms. These rules also apply if a property is occupied rent free or at less than a commercial rate, for example, a property is occupied by a family member at a reduced or nil rent.

In these circumstances, HMRC can take the view that unless the landlord charges a full market rent for a property and imposes normal market lease conditions, it is unlikely that the expenses of the property are

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