But the UK’s Statutory Sick Pay system is outdated and isn’t working for disabled people, including those of us with mental health problems.
The system risks plunging us into poverty and pushing us out of work altogether.
Mind’s research showed that 2 in 3 people with a mental health problem who received Statutory Sick Pay faced financial problems, with some struggling to pay bills or buy food.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the legal minimum amount employers must pay us when we’re off sick. It is just £99.35 a week. It’s also not available until your 4th day of sickness absence.
The financial trouble caused by Statutory Sick Pay wasn't just a drop in pay, it was the difference between being evicted or not, between eating or not. My experience during this time made me feel that there is no safety net and no support for people facing a crisis.
Read Jenny’s blog on SSP.
We know that a fairer system is possible. During the coronavirus pandemic the Government changed the law so that anyone worried that they may have coronavirus could access SSP immediately. They recognised that making people wait risked forcing people to work when they were unwell.
But in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis we know that people need more support from day 1. That’s why we signed an open letter to the Government asking them to increase sick pay to be in line with worker’s wages up to a real Living Wage, and make it available from day 1.
Read our letter here
If you're interested in campaigning for a better world for people with mental health problems, follow the link below.
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