This section amends Part 11 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 (statutory sick pay) to remove the prohibition on a period of entitlement for SSP purposes arising where a person earns below the lower earnings limit. This means that all eligible employees, regardless of their earnings level, are entitled to SSP. Section 13 mirrors section 10 of this Act to make equivalent amendment to Northern Ireland legislation, in line with the principle of parity as set out in section 87 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
	Subsection (2) sets the weekly rate of SSP at £118.75 or 80% of the employee’s weekly earnings, whichever is lower. The change from £116.75 to £118.75 is to reflect the uprated sum which will come came into effect on 6 April 2025.
	Subsection (3) repeals paragraph 2(c) of Schedule 11 to the Social Security Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 so that earning below the lower earnings limit is no longer a circumstance in which a period of entitlement to SSP does not arise.
Part 1: Employment Rights Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Section 13: Statutory sick pay in Northern Ireland: lower earnings limit etc