TUC: quarter million self-isolating without pay

The TUC has estimated that around a quarter of a million private sector workers (267,800) were self-isolating without decent sick pay or any sick pay at all in the period 13 to 26 December. It says around 209,900 workers had to rely on statutory sick pay, and 57,900 got no sick pay at all.

The analysis used ONS data, which estimated that around 723,900 workers were off work with Covid from 13 to 26 December. According to TUC polling, around three in 10 private sector workers rely on statutory sick pay, and just under one in 10 get nothing – leaving over a third of private sector workers without decent sick pay or any sick pay.

The TUC notes that the UK has the least generous statutory sick pay in Europe, worth just £96.35 per week, around 15% of average earnings, compared to an OECD average of over 60%. And it is only available to employees earning £120 per week or more, meaning two million workers nationwide, mostly women, do not qualify.

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-cutting-self-isolation-period-wont-fix-uks-fundamental-sick-pay-problem