Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) reintroduced

by Michael Blaken



Published on 17th January 2022

The Government is reintroducing the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) – a temporary scheme to support employers facing heightened levels of sickness absence due to Covid.

statutory sick pay rebate scheme

The SSPRS will refund small and medium-sized employers’ Covid-related SSP costs for up to two weeks per employee, for absences occurring from 21 December 2021 onwards.

Employers will be eligible for the scheme if they are UK-based, employed fewer than 250 employees as of 30 November 2021, they had a PAYE payroll system as of 30 November 2021 and they have already paid their employees’ Covid-related SSP.

Employers will be able to claim the costs for up to two weeks of SSP per employee who has to take time off because of Covid. This two-week limit will be reset so an employer will be able to claim up to two weeks per employee regardless of whether they have claimed under the previous scheme for that employee.

Employers will be able to make a claim through HMRC from mid-January onwards, using this website:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-back-statutory-sick-pay-paid-to-your-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19

The Government will keep the duration of the scheme under review.

Employers must keep records of Statutory Sick Pay that they have paid and want to claim back from HMRC. Employers must keep the following records for three years after the date they receive the payment for their claim:

  • the dates the employee was off sick
  • which of those dates were qualifying days
  • the reason they said they were off work due to Covid
  • the employee’s National Insurance number

For more help with SSPRS, please get in touch with Optimum.

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