Be ready for statutory sick pay from 6 April 2026

The best response is not workarounds. It’s earlier visibility and steadier planning.

What changes from 6 April 2026

● SSP will be available regardless of earnings level

● SSP applies from day one of sickness

● The rate will be 80% of average weekly earnings or the flat weekly rate, whichever is lower

Your exposure starts immediately, from the first day someone is off.

So make sure your wage fit the new SSP rules so sick pay is calculated correctly from day one.

Read more on the UK Government’s Statutory Sick Pay Changes

Why waiting gets expensive

It starts with someone calling in sick. You patch the rota, find cover, approve overtime, and make sure the client gets the cleaning.

Then it happens again next week. If short-term absences are frequent in your business, the 2026 SSP changes create a real financial impact.

If you do nothing, the costs build quietly:

● More day-one SSP payments

● More overtime to cover shifts

● Supervisors under pressure

● Higher risk of missed standards

● Margins shrinking without a clear cause

Stop firefighting and protect your margins

The biggest cost is rarely one long absence. It’s repeated short-term absence that forces constant cover and constant reshuffling.

This is usually not bad luck. It’s a pattern, and patterns often come from pressure in the day-to-day.

Watch for repeating patterns: same sites, same shifts, constant last-minute changes, difficult clients.

What you can do

● Do a quick check-in after repeat absence

● Make site expectations clear

● Have an escalation route

● Track attendance and absence consistently

● Positive workplace culture: keep sickness at home to avoid it spreading

Turn attendance into insight, not admin

With CleanManager, working hours and attendance are recorded consistently across sites. You get visibility early, so you can adjust planning before problems get expensive. We also have wage calcuation to fit the new rules of SSP. 

From 6 April 2026, absence costs begin on day one. Prepare now, reduce firefighting, and stay in control.

See how CleanManager supports structured time tracking at cleanmanager.uk and watch our explainer video about our scheduling software: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPTD9atS7II

Tel 0330 818 3119