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Coronavirus: workers who self-isolate will get three days more sick pay

Joanna Faith
Written By:
Joanna Faith
Posted:
Updated:
04/03/2020

Employees will receive statutory sick pay from the first day they are off work, under new emergency coronavirus plans announced today by Boris Johnson.

The prime minister said people who self-isolate “are helping to protect us all by slowing the spread of the virus” but “they may lose out financially”.

He said: “I can today announce that the Health Secretary will bring forward as part of our emergency coronavirus legislation measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the very first day you were sick instead of four days under the current rules.

“Nobody should be penalised for doing the right thing.”

The weekly rate for statutory sick pay is £94.25 and it can be paid for up to 28 weeks. Only workers earning at least £118 a week are eligible to receive it.

According to the TUC, nearly two million lower paid workers miss out on receiving sick pay when ill, and most of these are women.

It is calling for the lower earnings limit to be abolished.