Covid 19 and the Budget

by | Mar 16, 2020 | Employed, Newman HR, Self Employed

This is a useful summary of the changes to SSP with regard to Covid 19 the regulations implementing this have still to be finalised and I believe at present it is still normal SSP rules

In the budget earlier today the Chancellor made some announcements in relation to SSP payment in the context of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The key points are as follows:

  1. People who have COVID-19 will be eligible for SSP from day 1 of sickness absence. This will also apply to those who have been asked to self-isolate.
  2. People caring for those within the same household who display COVID-19 symptoms and have been told to self-isolate will also be eligible for SSP from day 1.
  3. The government and the NHS will bring forward a temporary alternative to the fit note in the coming weeks which can be used for the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak. This will probably involve NHS 111 issuing fit notes, but the process has not yet been identified.
  4. Small employers of less than 250 staff will be able to reclaim from the Government the SSP costs for a fortnight for any employee who is absent from work due to COVID-19.
  5. The Government say that employers should maintain records of staff absences, but should not require employees to provide a GP fit note
  6. The Government recognises that there is currently no repayment method for SSP and so the process of organising a repayment process will take place over a number of months.

There is no start date announced for these new measures. The measures will be introduced within the forthcoming COVID-19 Bill. All that is known is that the Health Secretary has said the Bill will be introduced this month

It is still not clear how the self employed and those earning below the lower earnings limit will cope. There has been some reference to being able to claim off the DWP but the details have still to clarified