Workers should be able to claim sick pay from the first day they are ill, two Tory former Cabinet ministers have demanded.
Priti Patel and Sir Robert Buckland warned efforts to get people back into work “risk being held back” by tight-fisted rules.
Statutory Sick Pay, which is currently £109.40 per week, is only paid from the fourth day someone has been off ill.
“Simple tweaks to the system would ensure all workers get sick pay paid by their employer from day one if they are ill,” Ms Patel and Mr Buckland said in a joint statement.
Amanda Walters, director of the Safe Sick Pay campaign, welcomed the intervention by the two former ministers.
“Extending the UK’s sick pay system to every worker, from day one of an illness will benefit workers and the wider economy,” she said.
“Our sick pay system should be a world leader in supporting workers and businesses, but one in three workers can’t pay the bills when they get sick.
“This is causing some people to leave the job market entirely, despite wanting to work.”
Trade union leaders yesterday issued their own call for sick pay rules to be made more generous.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Nobody should be plunged into financial hardship if they become sick.
“But Britain has one of the most miserly sick pay rates in Europe.
“This is disproportionately punishing low-paid workers and leaving them without a safety net.
“We must fix our broken sick pay system by making statutory sick pay available from day one and raising it to the level of the real living wage.
“The lack of decent sick pay cost us dear during the pandemic. The government should have learned this lesson.”
A DWP spokesman said: “We have a good track record of getting people off benefits and back into work, further driving down economic inactivity. The Government is implementing a range of initiatives supporting disabled people and people with health conditions not just to start, but to stay and succeed in work.
“For eligible employees who are too ill to work, Statutory Sick Pay is paid by their employer for up to 28 weeks. Some employers may also decide to pay more, and for longer, through Occupational Sick Pay, and many do.
“For disabled people or those with long term health conditions who need additional daily support, Personal Independence Payments provide a strong financial safety net."
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