Sick pay 'forcing' britons to work as nearly half can't afford to go without ful

A staggering number of Britons are working through pain, with a quarter reported to be taking painkillers due to a work-related injury, new research suggests. The survey of 2,000 British

workers carried out by National Accident Helpline, which offers advice and support to people who’ve been injured through no fault of their own, found that a third of Britons are regularly

working through pain as they cannot afford time off. The research suggests while economic inactivity in the UK has hit a crisis point, with record-long sickness impacting 2.8 million, not

enough attention is being paid to the many who are working with pain, which can often lead to worsening long-term conditions. Over half of Britons surveyed said they have never pulled a

sickie in their career, while 28 percent said they have begun using remote working days as a substitute for sick days. A quarter of those surveyed also report having or having had computer

vision syndrome, an umbrella term for eye problems developed from using screens, often for too long without taking a break. John Kushnick, legal operations director commented: “This research

paints a bleak picture of the health of workers in the UK. “Nobody should have to choose when it comes to their health, but the reality is accidents and illnesses do happen, yet the UK’s

current statutory sick pay is clearly forcing people into work, which can often lead to worse long-term outcomes. “Rather than deterring people, raising the level of statutory sick pay can

help more people get back on their feet and back into work more quickly, while employees who have suffered a work-related injury may be entitled to compensation to help them get back to

where they were before their injury.” At present, people can get £116.75 per week in Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they're too ill to work. Employers pay this for up to 28 weeks. Mr

Kushnick continued: “While the UK is experiencing relatively high rates of sickness absence and ill health, it is clear the bigger picture includes the thousands of people who are still in

work because they cannot afford to not be. Gig economy workers, for example, are particularly vulnerable. “Most people are unaware that while sickness pay lags behind normal wages, making a

claim means that we can seek to recover their full loss of earnings, ensuring nobody is out of pocket.” When the National Accident Helpline asked respondents more about their working

patterns, they found that a fifth of Britons working from home spend more than five hours a day sitting down, while a third spend over five hours a day sitting down when working in the

office. A fifth of employees said they do not take or have any lunch at all, while the vast majority do not take more than 45 minutes for lunch. Mr Kushnick added: “Ahead of the general

election in the UK, all eyes will be on which party, puts workers’ rights at its core, to tackle record sickness rates both inside and outside the workforce.”