Millions of UK workers get new access to sick pay and parental leave as landmark reforms take effect

Millions of workers across Northern Ireland and the wider UK can now access sick pay from the first day they are off work, as a major overhaul of employment rights came into force on Sunday.

The changes, introduced under the Employment Rights Act, mark one of the most significant shifts in workplace protections in recent years, affecting more than 18 million employees across the UK.

From 6 April 2026, workers who fall ill no longer have to wait until the fourth day of absence before receiving Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Instead, payments now begin from the first day of sickness absence, a move the UK Government says will put an additional £400 million a year into workers’ pockets.

The reforms also bring immediate new rights for parents, including day-one access to statutory paternity leave and unpaid parental leave, alongside new leave protections for bereaved partners.

Sick pay now begins from first day of illness

The most immediate and wide-reaching change is the removal of the waiting period for sick pay.

Previously, employees had to be absent for three unpaid “waiting days” before becoming eligible for Statutory Sick Pay. From now on, eligible workers receive support from the moment illness forces them to stay off work.

The new SSP rate will be paid at the lower of £123.25 per week or 80% of average weekly earnings, with the figure to be uprated annually in line with CPI inflation.

Crucially, the change applies regardless of how much employees are being paid, widening access to lower-paid workers who were previously more exposed to short-term income loss.

The government says the measure is intended not only to protect household finances but also to improve workplace health outcomes by allowing people to properly recover instead of feeling pressured to work through illness.

Ministers say this is expected to help reduce the length of sickness absences, improve productivity, and limit the spread of infectious illnesses in workplaces.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“Day one rights mean exactly that: rights that are there for you from the moment you start a job, and from the moment you get sick.

“Whether you’re a low-paid employee who’s been forced to work while unwell, or a new parent who wants to be there for their family, these changes are for you. We’re delivering the most significant upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”

New parents gain day-one leave rights

A second major part of the reforms affects working families.

From now, around 32,000 new fathers and partners each year will gain the right to statutory paternity leave from the first day in a new job, removing the previous requirement to have worked for an employer for six months.

That means parents starting a new role shortly before the birth or adoption of a child will no longer miss out on time at home during the earliest days of family life.

Alongside this, 1.5 million working parents across the UK are now entitled to unpaid parental leave from day one, rather than having to wait 12 months to qualify.

The move is designed to give families greater flexibility in balancing work and caring responsibilities.

Employment Rights Minister Kate Dearden said:

“No one should have to drag themselves into work when they’re unwell because they can’t afford not to — and no new parent should miss out on time with their child because they haven’t been in their job long enough.

“These reforms put that right. This is what it means to make work pay for everyone.”

New bereavement leave protection begins

Also coming into force from 6 April is a new legal right to time off following the death of a child’s mother or primary adopter.

The new Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave creates a formal entitlement for partners facing one of the most traumatic family circumstances.

The provision follows sustained campaigning by figures including Aaron Horsey and the charity Gingerbread.

The introduction of this leave right adds to existing bereavement protections and is aimed at ensuring parents are not forced back into work during acute grief and family crisis.

Fair Work Agency launches this week

Enforcement of the new protections is also being reshaped.

The government confirmed the Fair Work Agency will launch on 7 April, bringing together three separate enforcement agencies under one body.

The aim is to strengthen oversight of workplace rights and make enforcement faster and more effective.

This is expected to have practical significance for workers in Northern Ireland as well as across the UK, particularly in sectors where low pay, insecure hours, or limited access to HR support can leave staff more vulnerable to breaches of employment law.

Minister for Employment Dame Diana Johnson said:

“No one should ever have to choose between their health and earning a living.

“For too long, sick employees have had to make the impossible decision between losing out on a day’s pay or returning to work while ill.

“Today’s landmark changes will support employees to recover while providing businesses with the peace of mind that their workforce can return to work healthier and more productive.”

Wider legal changes now in force

The reforms introduced from 6 April 2026 extend beyond sick pay and parental leave.

Additional measures now in force include:

• strengthened collective redundancy protections

• a simplified trade union recognition process

• stronger whistleblowing protections

Taken together, the package represents a substantial update to employment law, with direct implications for employers, HR teams, public sector bodies, and workers across Northern Ireland.

For employees in Ballymena and across the region, the most immediate effect is clear: if illness strikes or a child arrives soon after starting a new job, legal protections now begin from day one rather than months down the line.

That shift takes effect immediately.

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At a glance

• New employment rights came into force across the UK on 6 April 2026

• Statutory Sick Pay now starts from day one of sickness absence

• Workers no longer need to wait until the fourth day off

• Reforms are expected to deliver around £400 million extra in sick pay each year

• More than 18 million workers are expected to benefit overall

• 32,000 new fathers and partners gain day-one paternity leave rights

• 1.5 million working parents benefit from immediate unpaid parental leave rights

• New Bereaved Partner’s Paternity Leave also begins

• The Fair Work Agency launches on 7 April

• Changes form part of the Employment Rights Act