Member

I say to my noble friend Lady Lister and others that removing the waiting period means that all employees will receive at least £60 extra at the start of their absence, rising to £150 if they work two days per week, compared to the current system. We also know that increasing the rate of SSP substantially increases costs: for example, a rate of 80% of the national living wage would cost businesses an extra £1.3 billion a year. With the changes that we are already making through the Bill, we believe the current rate is fair and achieves the right balance between providing support for employees and minimising the cost to employers.