The Centre for Progressive Change
@progressivechange.bsky.social
190 followers 86 following 100 posts
We build national campaigns for a more progressive society. #SafeSickPay - we need to raise the rate of Statutory Sick Pay so everyone can afford to get well soon.
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progressivechange.bsky.social
We are recruiting for a Safe Sick Pay Campaign Director and an Operations Director🥳Exciting time to be joining the team as we work to scale-up. If you or someone you know would be suitable please get in touch. Please share🙏

Full-time roles at £60-£67k

centreforprogressivechange.org/careers
Careers
We build national organising campaigns for a more progressive society. We do this by driving our own campaigns, carrying out research on what works and offering training and consultancy.
centreforprogressivechange.org
progressivechange.bsky.social
Day one sick pay and lower earnings limit reforms due to be nacted in the #employmentbill are hugely welcome.

It is clear though that the Government must do a wider review of sick pay, including the rate if it is serious about tackling the UK's health, productivity and living standard challenge
progressivechange.bsky.social
Great contribution to the debate and evidence-base on the future of workplace health from
@thefabians.bsky.social @sasjkia.bsky.social

Key recommendation on Statutory Sick Pay:
- add an immediate raise to the rate
- review and pathway towards a higher rate in line with wages
progressivechange.bsky.social
We are recruiting for a Safe Sick Pay Campaign Director and an Operations Director🥳Exciting time to be joining the team as we work to scale-up. If you or someone you know would be suitable please get in touch. Please share🙏

Full-time roles at £60-£67k

centreforprogressivechange.org/careers
Careers
We build national organising campaigns for a more progressive society. We do this by driving our own campaigns, carrying out research on what works and offering training and consultancy.
centreforprogressivechange.org
progressivechange.bsky.social
Well done Belgium - something the UK could aspire to!
brusselstimes.com
Belgium has one of the highest minimum wages in Europe, and scored well on statutory sick pay, maternity pay, and its relatively short working weeks.
Belgium boasts third place on global work-life balance ranking
Belgium boasts third place on global work-life balance ranking
www.brusselstimes.com
progressivechange.bsky.social
Brilliant to have @alexsobel.co.uk as a public supporter of the #SafeSickPay campaign.
At £3 an hour, Statutory Sick Pay is so low that many are forced to return to work whilst ill or injured - jeopardising both their physical and mental health. It's time this changed.
progressivechange.bsky.social
Our director, Amanda Walters said “If we are serious about improving the health of the working age population, the Government needs to stop ignoring the elephant in the room and put statutory sick pay in line with the minimum wage.”
progressivechange.bsky.social
Studies by some of the UK's top experts at the @workfoundation.bsky.social @resfoundation.bsky.social
@healthfoundation.bsky.social WPI Economics @citizensadvice.bsky.social @cipd.bsky.social and @ippr.org have found that the UK's low sick pay is actually making the workforce's health worse.
progressivechange.bsky.social
The latest annual data is on the link below. It masks the true picture: Day in day out, millions of workers are going to work ill or injured, working through pain because their sick pay doesn't cover the bills.

They don't get counted in these statistics.
www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...
Sickness absence in the UK labour market - Office for National Statistics
Sickness absence rates of workers in the UK labour market, including number of days lost and reasons for absence.
www.ons.gov.uk
progressivechange.bsky.social
Some significant news from the ONS on sick day data this morning.

There has been a large fall in total sick days taken by workers, but there is more to the story... a 🧵
Reposted by The Centre for Progressive Change
workfoundation.bsky.social
📢 Today, we release new research with @mssocietyuk.bsky.social‬ ‬‬‬on the experiences of 1,125 people with multiple sclerosis. It explores the barriers & enablers to accessing & staying in work with 96% of respondents stating MS impacted their ability to work. (1/10) lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Front cover of No Compromises: Supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work. Partners: Work Foundation and MS Society. Authors: Aman Navani, Asli Atay and Jon Fitzmaurice. Date: May 2025.
progressivechange.bsky.social
Update - we've heard the sick pay amendment is due to be debated now next week - so watch this space!
#SafeSickPay
progressivechange.bsky.social
Baroness Ruth Lister has put down an important amendment to the employment bill that will be heard in Parliament this Tuesday.

It seeks to strengthen measures on statutory sick pay (SSP) to better protect vulnerable workers [1/3] 👇
progressivechange.bsky.social
Last month, we joined civil society organisations, businesses, trade unions and affected workers to deliver a card signed by thousands of affected workers and families to No.10

We're encouraging Peers to support Baroness Lister's #sickpay amendment on Tuesday [3/3]
progressivechange.bsky.social
The Government has said no worker should be forced to choose between their health and finances due to inadequate sick pay.

However, even with positive changes such as day one sick pay, many workers will still be forced into this difficult choice if they rely on SSP

[2/3]
progressivechange.bsky.social
Baroness Ruth Lister has put down an important amendment to the employment bill that will be heard in Parliament this Tuesday.

It seeks to strengthen measures on statutory sick pay (SSP) to better protect vulnerable workers [1/3] 👇
progressivechange.bsky.social
Brilliant to have @fabianhamilton.bsky.social MP as a supporter of the #SafeSickPay campaign!
Too many employees in Leeds are unable to pay the bills and support their families when the are sick - it is time this changed.
progressivechange.bsky.social
At just £3/hr, Statutory Sick Pay forces people to push on at work when ill or struggle to pay the bills, causing extra stress & anxiety at an already difficult time.

Thank you @daviesofbrixton.bsky.social & @mindcharity.bsky.social for highlighting the mental health impact of low SSP on workers ⬇️
progressivechange.bsky.social
Thank you Baroness @carmensmith.bsky.social for highlighting the need to address gaps in sick pay alongside improving gender equality.

SSP at £3 an hour forces low paid workers - disproportionately women - to work during illness. Raising the rate of sick pay is crucial for building gender parity.
progressivechange.bsky.social
Baroness Lister just highlighted to @houseoflords.parliament.uk
that the Government's #SickPay plans will have unintended consequences for low paid workers.

Unless wording on removal of the Lower Earnings Limit is changed, some workers - especially women and disabled people - will be worse off.
progressivechange.bsky.social
"Statutory sick pay is the lowest in Europe & the lowest paid have been excluded, meaning they cannot afford to stay home when sick. As we saw during COVID, that endangers public health."

Great to hear Baroness O'Grady highlight in
@houseoflords.parliament.uk today the need for higher #SickPay!
progressivechange.bsky.social
"Imagine going through the hardest health condition [...] and coming out of that with your financial situation in ruins."

Amanda Walters from #SafeSickPay to @bbclondonnews.bsky.social on why more needs to be done to raise the rate of #sickpay

🔊 Have a listen.

#ukpolitics #campaigns
progressivechange.bsky.social
Great to hear from @chrishinchliff.bsky.social on the evidence of how increases to sick pay will lead to reduced presenteeism and improved productivity
progressivechange.bsky.social
Great speech by Imran Hussain MP calling on the Government to protect employees from financial hardship by increasing the rate of Statutory Sick Pay and to ensure that no employees see a cut to their sick pay
progressivechange.bsky.social
Great to hear @mwheelermp.bsky.social call on the Government to fix the problem with the Employment Rights Bill and its "unintended consequence of reducing sick pay for those earning at or slightly above the lower earnings limit"