The April 2026 payroll changes are live. Statutory Sick Pay now starts on day one, the earnings limit has gone and a new 80% rate applies. Here is what changed, what it means for your business and a checklist of what to update.

Running payroll is a delicate balance of accuracy, timing, compliance, and trust. Not merely a repetitive admin task. One tiny slip can snowball into overpayments, unhappy employees, HMRC charges, and hours of unnecessary extra work.

The overall objective is to keep people at home while enabling employers to retain staff who will be needed when they begin to rebuild...