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Free tools › Sick pay by country

Sick pay: New Zealand vs United Kingdom

Statutory sick pay in New Zealand and the UK, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does sick pay compare between New Zealand and UK?

New Zealand: 10 days a year after 6 months' service, employer-funded, accumulating to a 20-day maximum. United Kingdom: Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.

New Zealand vs United Kingdom, side by side

New ZealandUnited Kingdom
The rule10 days a year after 6 months' service, employer-funded, accumulating to a 20-day maximum.Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.
Key numbersEntitlement: 10 days a year from 6 months' service; Part-time: Full 10 days, not pro-rated; Cap: 20 days heldRate: Lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week; Payable from: Day one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026); Duration: Up to 28 weeks

New Zealand

The Holidays Act gives 10 days' sick leave once an employee reaches 6 months' service, and the entitlement is not pro-rated, so part-timers get the full 10 days. Up to 10 unused days carry over each year, capped at 20 days held. The employer pays at relevant daily pay; there is no state reimbursement.

  • Entitlement10 days a year from 6 months' service
  • Part-timeFull 10 days, not pro-rated
  • Cap20 days held
  • Who paysEmployer
Length of serviceEntitlement
0 to 6 monthsNone (contract can be more generous)
From 6 months10 days a year, capped at 20 held
  • The Employment Leave Bill would move sick leave to pro-rated, hours-based accrual from day one, but it is still a bill; nothing changes before roughly 2028.

Source: Employment New Zealand (Holidays Act 2003, 10 days since 2021). Checked July 2026.

United Kingdom

Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test. The rate is the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25, so low earners receive less than the flat figure. Employers carry the full cost, with no state reimbursement.

  • RateLower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week
  • Payable fromDay one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026)
  • DurationUp to 28 weeks
  • Employer reimbursementNone
  • Any guidance still describing SSP as 'flat rate from day 4' is out of date twice over.
  • Below about £154 a week in average earnings, the 80% formula pays less than £123.25.

Source: GOV.UK / HMRC (2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026). Checked July 2026.

Hiring in both markets?

Put a full number on each side with the true-cost calculators: True cost of an employee (New Zealand) and True cost of an employee (UK). The complete six-market picture is on the Sick pay by country page.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the government source for its market.

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
New ZealandEmployment New ZealandHolidays Act 2003, 10 days since 2021Checked July 2026
United KingdomGOV.UK / HMRC2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026Checked July 2026
Where Compono fits

Comparing entitlements is the easy half of hiring across markets. The hard half is whether the person you hire in Sydney, Singapore or Seattle will actually work out, and that risk looks the same in every jurisdiction. Compono matches candidates on how they work, not just what the CV claims, so the hires behind these numbers hold up wherever you make them.

See how it works

Common questions

What is the rule on sick pay in New Zealand?

10 days a year after 6 months' service, employer-funded, accumulating to a 20-day maximum. The Holidays Act gives 10 days' sick leave once an employee reaches 6 months' service, and the entitlement is not pro-rated, so part-timers get the full 10 days.

What is the rule on sick pay in the UK?

Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks. Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the New Zealand and the UK government pages every figure on this page was verified against in July 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with Employment New Zealand, GOV.UK or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.