HMRC has temporarily reintroduced the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS), to support employers facing growing levels of sickness absence due to the pandemic.
It means that small or medium-sized employers with fewer than 250 employees may be eligible to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) costs for up to two weeks per employee for Covid-19 related absences from 21 December 2021.
Claim per employee is capped at £192.70, which equates to two weeks at the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) rate of £96.35.
HMRC said that while this is a reintroduction of the scheme that ran until 30 September 2021, it is a new claims period.
As a result, employers can claim for eligible employees whether or not they have claimed for them under the previous scheme.
The tax office stated: “Make sure you have the latest information by joining our webinar, Covid-19 Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme 2, which includes who can claim for SSPR; when to start paying SSP; what you can claim under SSPR; making a claim; connected companies or charities; and keeping records.
“During this interactive webinar, you can ask questions using the on-screen text box and download handouts giving detailed examples and links to more information.
“Afterwards we’ll also send you a link to a video recording of the webinars in case you’d like to see any of
it again.”
For more information and to check if your business or a client is eligible, please visit the government website.
Alternatively, to register for HMRC’s webinar, which will be held on Wednesday 9 February, between 11:45 am and 12:45 pm, click here.
, to support employers throughout the pandemic...){kind=link}