The new statutory sick pay rate from April 2027 is £127.55 a week. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) published the figure on 11 November 2026 in its proposed benefit and pension rates for 2027 to 2028, up from £123.25 a week in 2026 to 2027. That is a rise of £4.30 a week, or 3.5%.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the legal minimum an employer must pay an eligible employee who cannot work because of illness. The new rate is proposed rather than final, and the government says the 2027 to 2028 rates will mainly take effect from 12 April 2027.

How much will statutory sick pay rise?

The standard weekly rate rises from £123.25 in 2026 to 2027 to £127.55 in 2027 to 2028, according to the GOV.UK rates table published on 11 November 2026. The 3.5% increase matches the rise in the Consumer Prices Index in the year to September 2026, which the Work and Pensions Secretary used for most working-age benefits and statutory payments. The full new State Pension rises by a larger 3.9% over the same period, to £250.70 a week.

Who can get statutory sick pay?

SSP is paid to employees who are too ill to work and meet the qualifying conditions. Since 6 April 2026 it has been paid from the first day of sickness, after the old three waiting days were removed, and there is no longer a minimum earnings level to qualify. For 2026 to 2027 the payment is the lower of the flat weekly rate or 80% of average weekly earnings, and it can be paid for up to 28 weeks. It is paid through wages, with tax and National Insurance deducted in the usual way, and an employer may pay more than the statutory minimum under its own sick pay scheme.

When does the new rate start?

The £127.55 rate applies to the 2027 to 2028 year, with the new rates mainly coming into effect from 12 April 2027, according to the Work and Pensions Secretary's statement to Parliament. Until then the current rate of £123.25 a week continues to apply. Because the published figures are proposed rates, employees and employers should check the GOV.UK statutory sick pay pages before the new tax year for the final confirmed position.

Frequently asked questions

What is the new statutory sick pay rate from April 2027?
£127.55 a week, as listed in the DWP's proposed benefit and pension rates for 2027 to 2028, published on 11 November 2026.

How much is statutory sick pay now?
£123.25 a week for 2026 to 2027, or 80% of average weekly earnings if that is lower, paid from the first day of sickness.

How long can statutory sick pay be paid for?
Up to 28 weeks in a single period of incapacity for work, under the rules in force since April 2026.