§ Lord Jenkin of Rodingasked Her Majesty's Government:
What were the total number of days qualifying for statutory sickness payments and the number of days where the claim was for less than four qualifying days in a year prior to the introduction of statutory sickness payments and the most recent year available.
Viscount AstorThe information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table:
Period Average number of sickness benefit days paid1 Estimated average number of statutory sick pay days paid23 Estimated average number of total sickness days paid4 1982–83 19 N/A 19 1991–92 67 15 21 Notes:
1Based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants within Great Britain.
2Estimated from the amounts of Statutory Sick Pay shown as paid on a 1 per cent. sample of employees' tax returns submitted by employers.
65WA3Statutory Sick Pay was introduced 6 April 1983 and was payable for a maximum of 8 weeks in a tax year. Since 6 April 1986 it has been payable for a maximum of 8 weeks in a period, linked or unlinked, of incapacity for work
4Estimated using information from the 1 per cent. sample of claimants within Great Britain and the 1 per cent. sample of employees' tax returns submitted by employers. As the total number of Statutory Sick Pay days paid exceeds the total number of Sickness Benefit days paid, the estimated average days paid is nearer the average number of Statutory Sick Pay days paid.