Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to extend the 28-week cap on Statutory Sick Pay.

As set out in the recent Command Paper, ‘Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability’, we believe people should get the support they need whatever their health condition or disability, including those who have a mental health condition and that the right organisational culture and practices can enable more people with mental health and other conditions to stay in work.

We want to reform the Statutory Sick Pay system so that it supports more flexible working, to help people remain or return to work if they are unwell. We are taking forward further policy development and will bring forward a consultation on these changes, as well as any other SSP changes we identify in our wider work, before introducing this reform.