Jonathan Gullis today met with the Chancellor to discuss proposals to revolutionise sick pay, which he says would be “of huge benefit” to people in Stoke-on-Trent North Kidsgrove and Talke.
Jonathan joined former Cabinet Minister Sir Robert Buckland, the Centre for Progressive Change’s Amanda Walters, Legal & General’s John Godfrey and former Government Special Adviser James Starkie, to push the Chancellor to adopt sick pay reforms before the Autumn Statement next month.
They have been spearheading attempts in Parliament to ensure people have adequate sick pay to rest and return to work from illness safely, with rising incidences of serious illness and injury in the UK workforce.
A report published by the WPI in July predicts that sick pay reforms would pump £4.1 billion into the economy. With the backing of MPs, FTSE100 companies, Legal and General, Unison and health charities, the proposals seek to revolutionise workforce health and productivity.
The WPI’s report finds that reforming sick pay could reduce sickness absence and cut the number of people on long-term benefit. Along with the significant economic benefits, Jonathan argues these reforms will be “transformative” for working families in areas like Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke.
The report suggests that overhauling sick pay, including lifting SSP to the National Living Wage rate of £10.42 an hour for workers aged 23 or over, will be instrumental in ensuring that hard working people get the right support to rest, recover and return to work. Crucially, the report found that the direct costs of hiking sick pay would be outweighed by the benefits of boosting productivity.
An estimated one third of UK workers (around 8 million people) are either subject to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or are not eligible for sick pay at all.
Sick pay is only £109 per week and only paid from day 4 of illness. This means that workers on SSP receives as little as £1.10 an hour in the first week and less than £3 an hour thereafter. This has huge financial and health impacts for families in areas like Stoke-on-Trent, as the strain as coping with illness coupled with the financial hit can slow down recovery.
Jonathan wants the UK to be a “world leader” in having safe workplaces that help workers to recover from sickness quickly. Through safe sick pay, workplaces are better and incentivise people to work harder and boost productivity. Safer sick pay reforms prevent the possibility of prolonged absence as there is less chance of illnesses being exacerbated.
Jonathan Gullis MP said: “I was glad to meet with the Chancellor today to discuss sick pay reform which would be of huge benefit to people in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke.
The Centre for Progressive Change and WPI report published in July predicts reforms could pump £4.1 billion into the economy. I want to see the UK as a “world-leader” in sick pay, where people can recover more quickly and boost the nation’s economic productivity.”
Sir Robert Buckland, MP for South Swindon, said: “A new deal on sick pay would offer a policy rooted in sound economics and health evidence that is popular with voters as well. The Government can be both tough on those who need a nudge to get back into work and compassionate to those who through no fault of their own need time to recover.”
The Rt Hon Priti Patel, MP for Witham, said: “Building a prosperous Britain relies on employers having healthy, hard-working people on the job. Improving sick pay would help our Government deliver on a key mission to get the out of work benefits bill down and support people to carry on working and wealth creating.”