The statutory sick pay rebate scheme closes next week for coronavirus-related absences after 17 March 2022.

Employers have up to and including 24 March 2022 to submit any final claims and amend claims they have already submitted.

The scheme repays businesses up to two weeks of statutory sick pay they had to give employees for absences caused by COVID-19.

Introduced on 26 May 2020 for small and medium employers with fewer than 250 employees, the scheme ended on 30 September 2021.

The Government reintroduced it in mid-January 2022 as part of a £1 billion business support package in response to surging Omicron variant cases.

On its closure, Martin McTague, national vice chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

"Small business owners are struggling to find £5 billion a year for sick pay costs. Last year, the Chancellor responded to our calls for help with a reintroduction of the small employer sick pay rebate until the end of March.

"However, with inflation driving up business costs and forthcoming National Insurance contribution hikes there could not be a worse time to remove the rebate."

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