Statutory Sick Pay and the introduction of Employment Support Allowance (ESA)

ESA commences on 27 October 2008 and replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support. As ESA requires less information about Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) it is proposed to introduce a re-designed form SSP1 to be used when SSP ceases or is not payable after 27 October 2008. Although this is subject to Parliamentary approval, the new form will not ask for details of first day of incapacity, qualifying days, work patterns or dates of payments for SSP.

Also subject to Parliamentary approval, other changes to SSP resulting from recommendations made in the SSP review will be implemented.

These are:

• Altering the requirements for information for benefit purposes. This will reduce the amount of information employers need to have available and provide when completing form SSP1.
• Form SSP1L will no longer be used. Periods of SSP with a previous employer will not count towards an employee’s maximum period of SSP.

These are due to be introduced with the introduction of ESA on 27 October 2008.

Further information about the changes will be published on our What's new page and in future editions of the Employer Bulletin.