TWENTY-FOUR union leaders have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer calling on him to increase statutory sick pay (SSP).

They raised concerns that Labour is not honouring its manifesto commitment to “strengthen” sick pay in a letter co-ordinated by the Safe Sick Pay campaign.

Leaders of health, Civil Service, education and transport unions warned that some of their members are putting off treatment as sick pay is much lower than their usual salaries.

They called for the rise in SSP to be addressed in Labour’s landmark workers’ rights legislation, the Employment Rights Bill, currently undergoing parliamentary scrutiny.

In the letter, they said that, while they were delighted to see the Employment Rights Bill includes proposals to scrap the waiting period of three days before SSP kicks in, they asked “where is the government’s plan to strengthen SSP?

“Even with the changes to SSP proposed in the Bill, a full-time employee will only receive £3 an hour when they are off sick — one of the lowest replacement rates in the OECD, a 38-member economic forum.

“We believe an increase in the rate of SSP is needed so that workers can meet the cost of living in their time of need.”

British Medical Association executive council chairman Professor Phil Banfield said: “Moving onto SSP often means a huge drop in income for many people, forcing them to go back to work before they are fit to do so.

“All of this contributes to further physical or mental ill health, and more sick leave.”

Royal College of Nursing chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said the government needed to “live up to” its manifesto promise.

She said: “Forcing nursing staff to choose between going to work unwell or struggling to make ends meet if they take leave is not only unfair but a risk to patients too.

“People will only receive £3 an hour when they are off sick.”

The Department for Work and Pensions has said it agrees that no one should be forced to choose between their health and financial hardship.

The TUC’s response to the department’s consultation on strengthening SSP said: “If the government is to fully meet its pledge to ‘strengthen’ sick pay, the rate of SSP must also increase.

“As it stands, the level is inadequate to meet basic living standards and [...] is around 20 per cent of average earnings — among the lowest of the UK’s European counterparts.”