Can staff claim their normal wages when off sick?

If their contract says so, then yes but more commonly the contract will give them only any SSP due to them.

Regardless of the employees working pattern (so that includes part-timers), SSP for 2012/2013 amounts to £85.85 per week so that’s £17.17 per day for a typical Monday to Friday worker.

If they qualify for SSP then that’s the rate. No more, no less. No partial figures, no payment of full normal wages. SSP is a straightforward yes or no thing.