SSP Changes 2026: Will Rising Sick Leave Leave Property Teams Short-Staffed?
SSP Changes 2026: Will Rising Sick Leave Leave Property Teams Short-Staffed?
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rules changed on 6th April 2026. Employers now pay SSP sooner than before and more employees will be eligible for the payments.
Previously, SSP was only paid to the employee from the fourth day of sickness, unless they received enhanced sick pay. The three-day wait has been abolished. Employers now pay SSP from the first day of sickness, provided other eligibility conditions are met.
The minimum earnings requirement of £123 per week (2025/26 rate) to qualify for SSP has also been scrapped. All employees are now eligible, regardless of their earnings, as long as they meet the other qualifying conditions.
Sicker than before?
It is, of course, critical for everyone’s health and wellbeing that staff are allowed to take appropriate sick leave but the HR community is concerned about the fall-out on resourcing.
Recent analysis by Brightmine revealed that changes to SSP are expected to increase costs, administrative burden and short-term absence levels across UK businesses.
Worryingly, the data showed:
46.2% expect short-term absence frequency to increase
43.6% expect short-term absence duration to increase
37.6% expect increased misuse of sick pay
Adding to the concern are the results of a poll by Acas.
Of the 2,000+ senior leaders and employees it questioned, 43% of employers and 36% of workers said SSP reforms would have a greater impact on workplaces than any other reform in the Employment Rights Act.
Depleted teams
SSP reforms, and the potential for staff to call in sick sooner and perhaps more frequently, comes at a time when offices are already half empty. Vacant chairs and underused kitchens are not necessarily because workforce numbers have been slashed (although that is a different issue Viewber will explore at a later date).
The Covid-era habit of working from home has persisted – a trend tracked by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Its last survey found rather than returning to the office full time after the pandemic, workers have continued to divide their hours between their home and an employer’s hub. In fact, 28% of working adults in Great Britain completed some form of hybrid work between January and March 2025.
Feeling poorly in property
Our new way of working is affecting the property industry for two reasons. Firstly, the ONS found managers, directors and senior officials, together with those in professional occupations and those with childcare responsibilities, were the most likely to engage with hybrid working patterns.
Secondly, property is location specific. It’s area focused. High Street branches and offices are purposefully chosen so they put staff at the epicentre of their client base. As soon as a business adopts a degree of decentralised working, staff are scattered.
Additionally, existing staff may be inclined to move further away from the business if the requirement to attend the office is diminished. And new hires? If you’re using hybrid working as a benefit, expect to attract out-of-area talent who are less willing to commute.
Home-sick: a different meaning
So, why mention SSP reforms and work from home habits in the same article? Further research has revealed a strong correlation between sickness and where we work – one that could drastically affect how productive property businesses are.
In 2021 – peak Covid era – software firm Beamery uncovered a new work from home anxiety.
Its study of professionals who worked remotely across the UK and the US found 64% felt pressured to log on while they should have been recuperating. It’s a phenomenon often referred to as ‘presenteeism’.
The stat was contained in this BBC article about remote working and sick leave.
The author, Bryan Lufkin, drew attention to the negatives that can arise when employees try to ‘push on’ when feeling unwell. The downsides included poor job performance and an increased risk of depression.
Perhaps, most pertinently, it wasn’t just how employers dealt with sick leave ‘in the moment’ that was of concern. A company’s workplace culture around illness was just as important.
This was highlighted by article contributor Brittany Lambert – an assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship at Kelley School of Business, Indiana University in America.
Brittany said building a culture that safeguards workers’ health is paramount, and this can be achieved by clearly communicating sick leave benefits and supporting staff, or risk a drop in productivity.
The service that steps up
For estate agents, lettings professionals, property managers, auctioneers and social housing providers, two workplace milestones have the potential to collide and curb staffing levels. If your staff aren’t where you need them most, whether that’s through sickness or a hybrid working arrangement, don’t panic.
Viewber is the partner you need to foster that all-important workplace culture – one where employers and employees feel comfortable with sick leave and working from home.
Viewber’s extensive range of viewing, inspection and visit services can be called upon when you’re under-resourced. Our nationwide network is available seven days a week, with a local expert able to attend any property in the UK.
Make it short notice
Our Viewbers can accept bookings at short notice – ideal for when the first email of the day is about food poisoning, a migraine or an unexpected trip to A&E. Not just for last-minute emergencies, Viewber can also be part of your long-term sick contingency plans.
Get in touch to set up your account and be fully prepared for whatever comes your way.
