Got an email yesterday from a client asking how much is ssp per week? I thought that was an excellent question, so I thought I’d write a blog post about it so everyone knows how much is ssp per week. It’s important to know this as some ssp companies charge by the year.
The standard rate for statutory sick pay (SSP)
The standard rate for statutory sick pay (SSP) is currently £92.05 per week. Your employer might pay you more than this but they don’t have to. If your employer pays you anything less than the SSP rate, they could be breaking the law.
You can claim SSP from your employer if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury and satisfy a number of criteria, including: having been continuously employed for a qualifying period with one employer, which must include at least 13 weeks of employment ending on or before the date you become unfit to work.
You can get SSP for up to 28 weeks
You may be able to get extra weeks of SSP if you or your partner are on maternity leave or paternity leave, or if you are getting Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
There is no requirement for the person claiming to be working at the time they become sick. However, if you have been working for less than 26 weeks and then become sick, you will not qualify for SSP as it is only payable after 26 weeks of continuous employment.
If your average weekly earnings
- If your average weekly earnings are less than £118, you’ll get £92.05 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
- If your average weekly earnings are more than £118 but less than £198, you’ll get £91.55 or 90% of your average weekly earnings whichever is lower.
- If your average weekly earnings are more than £198 but less than £308, you’ll get £91.10 or 90% of your average weekly earnings whichever is lower.
- If your average weekly earnings are more than £308 but less than £428, you’ll get £90.65 or 90% of your average weekly earnings whichever is lower.
If you’re eligible, you can claim SSP from day 1 of absence from work
If you’re eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), it’s paid by your employer and is usually for up to 28 weeks.
SSP covers you if you have a physical or mental illness or injury that prevents you from working for at least four days in a row, or if you have an accident at work which means you can’t work for at least seven days in a row.
You may get a grant instead if you’re self-employed
The amount of money you receive depends on your circumstances and the amount of savings you had before you started to claim. In 2019, the weekly rate is £73.10 for those aged under 35 and £87.90 for those aged between 35 and 49.
The level of income support varies depending on whether you’re single or part of a couple (including married or civil partners). The maximum total amount of income support that can be paid in any one benefit year is £1,030.
Statutory Maternity Pay
Statutory Maternity Pay is £145.18 per week or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower), for up to 39 weeks. Your employer will pay the first six weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay and you’ll need to claim the remaining 33 weeks from HMRC.
You can get SMP before your baby is due, as long as your employer is aware that you’re pregnant. You can claim SMP up to 11 weeks before your baby is due, but only if you’re certain that you won’t go back to work before the end of your maternity leave.
If you have more than one job and one of them pays less than £116 a week , you may not be entitled to full statutory maternity pay from both employers at the same time. Your main employer will pay what they are legally required to under the law.
Conclusion
So there are some very basic facts about SSP that should be known prior to starting this job. You can choose to take one of the roles above and claim for it by ticking the box when you fill in form CW1 at the start of your employment. Or you can ask your employer to complete form CWY9 instead. The choice is up to you but remember, claiming for one role or another will not affect your tax code or your collection method. It all comes down to whether you do a set amount of work for an employer at home as well as going into their premises for other reasons, such as doing face-to-face sales for instance.
