This article explains how Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is calculated from 6 April 2026 and what you need to do when processing employees’ sick leave in BrightPay Cloud.

1. What’s Changing from 6 April 2026

No Waiting Days

From 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first day of sickness within a Period of Incapacity for Work (PIW).

• Waiting days no longer apply

• Employees are paid SSP from day one

New SSP Rate Calculation

The way SSP is calculated has changed:

• The Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) no longer determines eligibility

• Instead, SSP is based on:

  • 80% of Average Weekly Earnings (AWE)

  • Flat Rate of SSP £123.25 per week 

 The employee will receive whichever is lower:

• 80% of AWE

• OR the flat SSP £123.25 

Important: Overriding AWE

If you override AWE in BrightPay:

• You must now enter an exact AWE (Average Weekly Earnings) value

• This is because SSP depends directly on the 80% calculation

2. Handling PIWs That Span 6 April

Waiting Days Before 6 April Only

If a PIW starts before 6 April and continues after:

• Waiting days can apply before 6 April only

• No waiting days apply from 6 April onwards

Example:

• PIW starts 5 April

• Only one waiting day applies (5 April)

• From 6 April, SSP is payable

AWE Below LEL Before 6 April

If an employee’s AWE was below the LEL before 6 April:

• Before 6 April:

  • SSP = £0 (not eligible under old rules)

• From 6 April onwards:

  • SSP is calculated using 80% of AWE

Transitional Protection

If an employee:

• Was receiving the full flat SSP rate before 6 April, and

• The new calculation (80% of AWE) would result in a lower amount

Then:

• They will continue to receive the full flat SSP rate of £123.25 

• This applies for the remainder of that PIW

FAQs Statutory Sick Pay 

Q. How do I put an employee “on hold” in BrightPay when they’re on long‑term sick?

A. BrightPay doesn’t have an “on hold” status. You keep the employee on the payroll, record their sickness, and simply stop paying normal wages. Here’s how:

1. Record the sick leave  
  - Go to Payroll and select the employee.  
  - Under Statutory Pay, click Calendar  
  - Highlight the full date range they’re off (include non‑working days).  
  - Click Sick Leave, then close the calendar.  
  - BrightPay will automatically calculate and apply any SSP due.

2. Adjust SSP if needed  
  - On the Payroll screen, click the Spanner icon in Statutory Payments.  
  - In Sick Leave, choose to override / manually enter Average Weekly Earnings, then Save.

3. Stop normal pay  
  - For each pay period while they’re off, don’t enter normal hours/salary (unless you’re paying company sick pay).  
  - The payslip will then show only SSP, or zero if they’re no longer entitled and you’re not paying occupational sick pay.

4. If you’re told about sickness after a period is finalised  
  - In the next open period, go to Payroll → select the employee → Calendar under Statutory Pay.  
  - Add or adjust the sick days and click Sick Leave, then return to **Payroll**.  
  - BrightPay will calculate any SSP under/overpayment and carry the difference into the current payslip.

This setup effectively puts the employee “on hold”: they remain active in BrightPay but do not receive normal pay while on long‑term sick.