Covid sick pay rules change today and it means you'll wait longer to access cash

Sick pay rules for workers who catch coronavirus have changed from today – and it means workers will have to wait longer before they can access cash.

Under rules that were brought in during the Covid pandemic, you were able to get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from day one instead of after three days.

But sick pay measures have returned to normal as of March 24, meaning you’ll need to wait until day four of being sick or self-isolating to claim SSP.

SSP is the minimum a worker can get by law if you can't work due to illness.

It is worth £96.35 a week for those who qualify and is paid by employers for up to 28 weeks if you're earning at least £120 a week.

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Employment rights

This is the minimum you’re entitled to – employers can pay more than this.

The temporary rule change also applied to Employment and Support Allowance, which you can claim if an illness or disability is affecting your ability to work.

This has also returned to normal as of today, but you need to wait until the eight day of sickness to put in a claim.

Have you had trouble claiming SSP? Let us know: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk

ESA is worth up to £74.70 a week, but how much you get depends on your individual circumstances.

To claim ESA you need to have worked either as a self-employed worker or as an employee.

You must have also paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last two to three years.

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Consumer rights

You can't get ESA if you claim Jobseeker's Allowance or Statutory Sick Pay. But if you get Universal Credit, you could get “new style” ESA at the same time.

Ministers introduced day-one sick pay at the start of the pandemic for those who tested positive in order to curb the spread of the virus.

The government will also stop offering free testing for all but the most vulnerable from April 1. You no longer have to self-isolate by law, as of February 24.

It comes as part of the “living with Covid” plan for England.

Setting out “four principles” on ending all Covid restrictions in England in the House of Commons last month, Boris Johnson told MPs: “First, we will remove all remaining domestic restrictions in law.

“We will end the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test and so we will also end self-isolation support payments, although Covid provisions for statutory sick pay can still be claimed for a further month.

“We will end routine contact tracing and no longer ask fully vaccinated close contacts and those under 18 to test daily for seven days.”