The SSPRS is a little bit of good news as some Gov help for small businesses is reintroduced as of today – more info here Public_fact_sheet_SSPRS_Dec_2021.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk) and here Covid: Firms able to claim money back to cover sick pay – BBC News and summary below:
- As increasing numbers of Covid-19 and related varient cases means more workers taking time off work, the government is also reintroducing the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS).
- The SSPRS will help small and medium-sized employers – those with fewer than 250 employees (as of 30 November 2021) – by reimbursing them for the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences, for up to 2 weeks per employee. Firms will be eligible for the new scheme from today (21 December 2021) and they will be able to make claims retrospectively from mid-January. The period 30 September (when the initial scheme stopped) to 20 December will not be eligible for any rebates as we understand it.
- Employers must already have paid the SSP to the 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[1]paid-to-your-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-1
- 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
- It doesn’t look as if the Gov website info has been updated yet but no doubt it will be soon – keep an eye out here Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): employer guide – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For some industries, namely the hospitality and leisure sectors, further grants are being offered of up to £6k per premises. Details here: £1 billion in support for businesses most impacted by Omicron across the UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)