Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the rate of statutory sick pay.

No one should be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship. Through the Employment Rights Bill we are strengthening Statutory Sick Pay. Up to 1.3 million low-paid employees will now be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay and all eligible employees will be paid from the first day of sickness absence irrespective of their income, benefiting millions of employees.

While the Department has not assessed the adequacy of the rate of Statutory Sick Pay, a Regulatory Impact Assessment and an Equality Impact Assessment of the Statutory Sick Pay measures in the Employment Rights Bill have been undertaken.

The existing rate of Statutory Sick Pay is designed to balance providing support for employees, whilst helping to manage the costs to employers.