Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to be reviewed
01 November 2016
1 November 2016
As part of a health and work plan Statutory Sick Pay will be reviewed so it better encourages supportive conversations and phased returns to work.
New plans have been announced by the Government to help more people with long term conditions reap the benefits of work and improve their health.
The plans proposed in a green paper include:
- a review of Statutory Sick Pay and GP fit notes to support workers back into their jobs faster, and for longer
- encouraging Jobcentre Plus work coaches to signpost claimants to therapy
- the launch of a consultation on Work Capability Assessment reform
- encouraging employers to work with their employees with long-term health conditions to stop them from falling out of work
- a wide-ranging debate about recognising the value of work as a health outcome
Statutory Sick Pay will be reviewed so it better encourages supportive conversations and phased returns to work.
Consideration is also being given to extending fit notes from doctors to other healthcare professionals to help ensure people receive more tailored support.
Ministers believe the system this government inherited in 2010 simply wasn’t working. Good progress has been made encouraging those who can work, while ensuring a safety net for those who can’t.
However, there is further work needed to ensure the system is better targeted and works for everyone.