This means that employers will have to pay statutory sick pay (SSP) from day one of sickness, rather than day four as currently.

The removal of the waiting period will cost an estimated £1.02bn (£36 per employee) per year to organisations affected, the government confirmed, up from the £400m cost set out in the original cost estimate published last summer.

In addition, more people will be eligible for sick pay as the requirement to earn Lower Earnings Limit will be removed and low earners will be paid 80% of SSP rate when off sick.

The government has no plans to reduce the current length of self-certification (seven days) for periods of sickness absence.