Sick pay changed in April - but would your household still face an income gap?
Statutory Sick Pay became available from the first full day of illness in April 2026. That is a meaningful improvement, but it may still leave a substantial gap when illness prevents somebody from working.
Most households know roughly what comes in each month. Far fewer know what would happen to that income after six weeks, six months or a year away from work.
The answer is rarely found in one place. It can involve employer sick pay, Statutory Sick Pay, savings, state benefits, workplace insurance and any personal protection already arranged.
That makes one question particularly useful:
If illness stopped your earnings, when would your household income change - and what would replace it?
What changed in April 2026?
From 6 April 2026, eligible employees can receive Statutory Sick Pay from their first full day of sickness absence. The previous lower-earnings threshold was also removed, making SSP available to eligible employees regardless of their earnings.
For the 2026/27 tax year, SSP is paid at 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks. Tax and National Insurance may be deducted.
These changes improved access and removed the former waiting period. They did not turn SSP into full salary replacement.
Some employers provide occupational sick pay above the statutory minimum. Others pay only SSP. The amount and duration should be set out in the employment contract, staff handbook or benefits information.
Self-employed people are not eligible for SSP, although some may qualify for other state support depending on their circumstances and National Insurance record.
The protection gap is often a timeline
People sometimes think of a protection gap as one large monetary shortfall. A more practical way to view it is as a timeline.
Imagine a household’s main earner becomes too unwell to work:
Weeks 1–4: the employer may continue full pay - or may not.
Months 2–6: pay might reduce to half salary, SSP or another level.
After 28 weeks: SSP can end, although other benefits may be available.
Longer term: savings may be depleted while the mortgage, rent, utilities and food bills continue.
The exact sequence is different for every household. That is why checking actual employment benefits is more useful than making assumptions based on a job title or length of service.
A good review should also include both earners. Even if one income is smaller, losing it can create childcare, travel or caring costs that are easy to overlook.
What could happen after SSP ends?
An eligible person whose SSP is due to end may be able to apply for New Style Employment and Support Allowance up to three months beforehand. Eligibility depends partly on National Insurance contributions and the effect a health condition has on the person’s ability to work. Universal Credit may also be relevant in some circumstances.
State benefits provide important support, but entitlement and payment levels depend on individual circumstances. They should not be assumed to replace a previous salary.
This is where savings, employer benefits and personal protection can form different parts of the household’s safety net.
How income protection works
Income protection is designed to pay a regular benefit if illness or injury leaves the insured person unable to work under the policy’s definition.
MoneyHelper says long-term income-protection policies typically cover between 50% and 65% of income. Payments begin after an agreed deferred period and may continue until the person returns to work, reaches the policy end date, retires or dies, depending on the contract.
Common deferred periods include 4, 13, 26 and 52 weeks. A longer deferred period will generally reduce the premium because the insurer waits longer before a valid claim begins.
This makes coordination important. Somebody receiving six months of full employer sick pay might consider a different deferred period from somebody with no occupational sick pay. The objective is to understand where existing support stops - not to duplicate it unnecessarily.
Income protection is not critical illness cover
The two products can be confused, but they serve different purposes.
Income protection normally pays a regular benefit when incapacity meets the policy definition. It can potentially cover a wide range of illnesses and injuries rather than a fixed list of diagnoses.
Critical illness cover normally pays a one-off lump sum after diagnosis of a condition included in the policy, provided its definition and severity requirements are met.
A person could be unable to work without meeting a critical illness definition. Equally, somebody receiving a valid critical illness payment might later return to work.
Neither product is inherently “better”. The relevant question is whether the household needs help replacing monthly income, a lump sum for major financial adjustments, or a combination of needs.
Do people actually claim for everyday health problems?
Income protection is not limited to rare illnesses.
The Association of British Insurers reported that individual income-protection payouts totalled £204 million in 2024, £28 million more than in 2023. Musculoskeletal conditions such as back and neck problems were the leading recorded cause of claims, representing 34% of paid claims where a cause was reported.
The ABI also reported an average individual income-protection payout of £10,000 during 2024. That is an average across different policies and claim durations; it is not a typical or guaranteed payment for an individual customer.
Claims depend on the policy remaining in force, the definition of incapacity, medical evidence, exclusions and accurate information being supplied during the application.
Your ten-minute sick-pay check
Before considering any new cover, write down:
How long your employer pays full salary
Whether pay then reduces, and for how long
Whether workplace income protection is included
How benefits change if you leave the employer
The essential monthly household expenditure
How much accessible emergency savings would cover
Which income pays each mortgage, rent or household commitment
Whether an existing policy already provides income protection
What happens if either partner becomes a carer
Whether self-employment changes access to statutory support
If your employer provides group income protection, check the benefit amount, deferred period, payment term, incapacity definition and what happens when employment ends. “Covered through work” can mean very different things.
Building a plan around real life
Protection is not about assuming that illness will happen. It is about making sure an unexpected absence does not automatically become a financial emergency as well as a health concern.
At North Star Mortgage & Financial Services Ltd, we can help bring together your mortgage commitments, household budget, employer benefits and existing policies. From there, any genuine gaps can be considered carefully and in the context of what you can comfortably afford.
The goal is not to insure every pound or every possibility. It is to create enough resilience for the people you care about to keep making choices if working life is interrupted.
Sources:
Publisher | Source | Publication/update date | Accessed | Claims supported |
HM Revenue & Customs | 18 March 2026 | 31 July 2026 | First-day entitlement, removal of lower-earnings threshold and payment formula | |
Current 2026/27 guidance | 31 July 2026 | £123.25 maximum, 80% rule, 28-week duration and deductions | ||
HM Revenue & Customs | Updated 6 April 2026 | 31 July 2026 | Self-employed people’s ineligibility for SSP | |
Current guidance | 31 July 2026 | Contribution conditions and application before SSP ends | ||
MoneyHelper | Current page; date not stated | 31 July 2026 | Typical covered-income range, deferred periods and difference from critical illness | |
Association of British Insurers | 14 July 2025; updated 21 July 2025 | 31 July 2026 | Income-protection payouts, average payment and causes of claims | |
Financial Conduct Authority | 21 August 2024 | 31 July 2026 | Consumer Duty focus on suitable products, fair value and good outcomes |
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