SSP Changes April 2026: Why Every Flu Absence Now Costs Your Business More

Before 6 April 2026, a three-day flu absence cost most employers nothing in Statutory Sick Pay. The waiting period absorbed it. An employee called in sick on Monday, dragged themselves back in on Thursday, and the first three days disappeared without touching the payroll.

That buffer is gone. Under the Employment Rights Act 2025, SSP is now payable from the first qualifying day of sickness absence. Every flu absence, however short, hits your payroll from day one. The change came into force on 6 April 2026 and represents the biggest reform to SSP since it was introduced in 1983.

For HR managers and business owners planning their workforce budgets, this changes the calculation on workplace flu vaccination significantly. A programme that might have felt like a nice-to-have is now a direct line to reducing a measurable payroll cost.

At FluClinic2You, we provide on-site workplace flu vaccination clinics and pharmacy voucher programmes for businesses across the UK. This guide explains exactly what changed, what it means in practice, and what employers planning their 2026/27 season should do about it.

If you are weighing up your options, our corporate flu vaccination providers comparison guide covers the main providers side by side.

What Changed on 6 April 2026

Three changes came into force under the Employment Rights Act 2025:

1. SSP is now payable from day one

Previously, SSP only became payable from the fourth qualifying day of absence. The first three days were unpaid waiting days. From 6 April 2026, that waiting period has been removed. SSP is payable from the first qualifying day, meaning every absence that would previously have fallen entirely within the waiting period now generates a payroll cost.

2. The lower earnings limit has been removed

Previously, employees needed to earn at least £125 per week (rising to £129 from 6 April 2026) to qualify for SSP. That threshold excluded a significant portion of part-time and lower-paid workers. From April 2026, the earnings threshold is gone. All eligible employees qualify regardless of what they earn. Employees earning below the flat rate receive SSP at 80% of their average weekly earnings, or the flat rate of £123.25 per week, whichever is lower.

3. SSP rate has increased

The weekly SSP rate increased from £118.75 to £123.25 from 6 April 2026. Combined with day-one eligibility and the removal of the earnings threshold, the total employer exposure from short-term absence has increased materially.

These are not minor adjustments. Together they mean more employees qualify, more absences generate a cost, and that cost starts sooner. For employers who relied on the waiting period to absorb short-term sickness, the change has immediate financial consequences.

What a Flu Absence Costs Now vs Before

Flu typically keeps employees off work for between three and seven days. Under the old rules, a three-day flu absence cost nothing in SSP. Under the new rules, it costs from day one.

At the current SSP rate of £123.25 per week, the daily SSP rate for a five-day working week is approximately £24.65 per day. A three-day absence now costs around £73.95 in SSP. A five-day absence costs around £123.25.

Daily SSP calculated at £123.25 ÷ 5 working days = £24.65. Figures based on published 2026 SSP rate. Individual employee SSP may differ for lower earners (paid at 80% of average weekly earnings if lower than flat rate).

These are direct payroll costs, not estimates. They do not include the indirect costs of absence: the manager time to cover the workload, the reduced output, the risk of other employees catching the virus, or the client impact if a key person is unavailable.

For a business with 50 employees, if 10 percent of the unvaccinated workforce gets flu and is absent for an average of four days each, that is five absences at approximately £98.60 in SSP each — £493 in direct SSP costs alone, before any other impact is considered. For a business of 200 employees the scale grows proportionally.

How Flu Vaccination Fits Into the New Calculation

A workplace flu vaccination programme does not eliminate flu absence. Vaccines are not 100% effective, and some employees will choose not to participate. But they reduce the number of flu cases in your workforce, and under the new SSP rules, every case prevented is a day-one payroll cost avoided.

The question has shifted from “is it worth offering flu jabs as a staff benefit?” to “is the cost of a vaccination programme lower than the SSP and productivity cost of the absences it prevents?”

For most businesses, the answer is straightforwardly yes.

FluClinic2You offers two ways to vaccinate your workforce:

• On-site clinics. A pharmacist-led team comes to your workplace. Employees are vaccinated in the office in minutes. No travel, no time off, no disruption. Up to 100 employees per session.
• Flu vouchers. Employees redeem a voucher at a participating pharmacy near them — at work, at home, or wherever they happen to be. Available as pre-pay or pay-per-activation, where you only pay when an employee actually redeems a voucher.

Both models can run together. Head office gets an on-site clinic. Remote and distributed staff get vouchers. One provider, one invoice.

Which Employers Are Most Affected by the Change?

The impact of removing the waiting period is felt most acutely by employers who:

• Have a high proportion of part-time or lower-paid workers. These employees previously fell below the earnings threshold and did not qualify for SSP. They now do. Every short-term absence generates a cost that previously did not exist.
• Operate in sectors with high flu transmission risk. Retail, hospitality, care homes, schools, transport, and logistics all involve close contact between employees or between employees and the public. Flu spreads faster in these environments and a single case can trigger multiple absences.
• Rely on SSP-only sick pay. Employers who do not top up SSP with contractual sick pay will see the full financial impact of the change, as every qualifying absence now generates an SSP liability from day one.
• Have not previously run a structured flu programme. If your workforce has no vaccination in place, the autumn flu season now carries a higher direct cost than it did last year.

When to Book Your 2026/27 Flu Programme

Check the Cancellation Terms Before You Commit

This is a question worth asking any provider before you sign. From Bupa’s published 2025 terms:

• Cancellations with more than six weeks’ notice: no charge.
• Cancellations between three and six weeks before the clinic: 50 percent charge.
• Cancellations within three weeks: 100 percent charge.
• Rescheduling within 48 hours of the clinic: 100 percent charge.

These are standard terms for large-scale corporate health providers. If your business has unpredictable schedules, office moves, or staffing changes in the run-up to flu season, the cancellation window is worth factoring into your planning.

Who Is Vaccinating Your Employees?

Flu vaccinations start from September. The autumn season — when flu circulates most widely — typically runs from October through to February. Employers who vaccinate in September and October give their workforce the best protection through the highest-risk months.

Provider availability for on-site clinics tightens significantly through the summer. Booking now secures your preferred dates and ensures the voucher programme is ready before September. Waiting until September to start the process means competing with every other employer who also left it late.

Under the new SSP rules, the cost of a flu absence starting on any day in October is immediate. The case for booking early is stronger than it has ever been.

Employer Checklist: SSP Changes and Flu Season 2026/27

Actions to take now:

• Update your sickness absence policy. Remove any reference to the three-day waiting period. SSP is now payable from day one.
• Update employment contracts and handbooks. New hires must be informed of SSP as a day-one right.
• Review your payroll system. Ensure it can process SSP from day one and calculate the correct rate for lower earners
• Book your flu vaccination programme. On-site clinics and voucher programmes for the 2026/27 season are available now. The earlier you book, the better your choice of dates.
• Consider which delivery model suits your workforce. On-site for office-based teams, vouchers for remote or distributed staff, or both from one provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is based on the Employment Rights Act 2025 as in force from 6 April 2026 and publicly available guidance. SSP rates and eligibility rules are set by HMRC. Employers should verify current rates and seek professional HR or legal advice to ensure their sick pay policies comply with current legislation. This guide does not constitute legal or medical advice.

About FluClinic2You

FluClinic2You is a UK-wide corporate flu vaccination service founded and run by pharmacists. On-site workplace flu clinics and flu vouchers redeemable at pharmacies nationwide. 838 five-star Google reviews.

Phone: 020 3411 5565

Email: info@fluclinic2you.com

Get a quote: fluclinic2you.com/get-vaccinated