Sick Pay UK 2026: SSP Rates, Day-One Rights and How to Claim

Sick pay UK rules changed more in April 2026 than they have in decades, and if you are off work ill this year, the money you receive could look very different from what a colleague got in 2025. Perhaps you are worried about falling ill in a new job, unsure whether your part-time hours qualify, or trying to work out how long your employer has to pay you. The good news: from 6 April 2026, sick pay starts from your very first day off, and the old earnings threshold that locked out over a million low-paid workers has gone. This guide explains exactly what you are entitled to in 2026/27, how Statutory Sick Pay is calculated, what company sick pay means, and what to do if your employer refuses to pay.

Sick pay UK 2026: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £123.25 per week from 6 April 2026, paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. It is now a day-one right with no waiting days and no minimum earnings requirement. You receive the lower of £123.25 or 80% of your average weekly earnings.

What Sick Pay Are You Entitled To in 2026?

There are two types of sick pay UK employees can receive. The first is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), the legal minimum every eligible employee must be paid when they are too ill to work. The second is company sick pay, also called occupational or contractual sick pay, which is anything your employer offers on top.

SSP is set by the government each April. For the 2026/27 tax year it is £123.25 per week, and your employer pays it through payroll exactly like wages. That means income tax and National Insurance are deducted in the usual way, and it appears as a line on your payslip. If anything on that payslip looks unfamiliar, our guide to how to read a UK payslip breaks down every entry.

SSP is paid for the days you would normally have worked, known as qualifying days. It can continue for up to 28 weeks in any single period of sickness.

What Changed in April 2026

The Employment Rights Act brought in the biggest reform of sick pay in a generation. Two changes took effect on 6 April 2026 and both work in your favour.

1. Sick pay from day one

Previously, the first three qualifying days of any sickness absence were unpaid waiting days, so a typical full-time worker lost three days of income before SSP started on day four. Those waiting days have been abolished. From April 2026, SSP is payable from the first qualifying day you are off sick.

2. No more Lower Earnings Limit

Under the old rules you had to earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£125 per week in 2025/26) to get any SSP at all. That threshold has been removed, opening up sick pay to an estimated 1.3 million low-paid workers, many of them part-time. Instead, lower earners now receive 80% of their average weekly earnings where that works out below the flat rate. In other words, everyone gets the lower of £123.25 or 80% of their average weekly earnings.

Who Qualifies for SSP in 2026/27

You are entitled to SSP if all of the following apply:

• You are classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer. Agency workers and zero-hours workers qualify too.
• You are off sick for at least one qualifying day (a day you would normally work).
• You tell your employer you are sick within their deadline, or within 7 days if they have not set one.

Since the earnings threshold was scrapped, there is no longer a minimum pay requirement. Your rights to sick pay, notice and holiday all flow from your employment status, which is set out in your contract. If you are unsure what type of contract you are on, see our guide to UK employment contracts explained.

You cannot get SSP if you have already had 28 weeks of it in one linked period of sickness, or if you are receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance for the same period.

How Much You Get: 2026/27 Rates and Worked Examples

The weekly rate is divided across your qualifying days. Here is what that looks like for common working patterns from 6 April 2026:

Worked example 1: full-time worker

Amira works Monday to Friday earning £520 per week. She is off sick for 4 days with flu. Under the old rules she would have received one day of SSP after three waiting days. In 2026/27 she gets 4 days at £24.65, a total of £98.60. Since 80% of her average weekly earnings (£416) is higher than the flat rate, the £123.25 weekly cap applies.

Worked example 2: part-time worker

Dan works 2 evenings a week in a bar earning £110 per week. Under the pre-2026 rules he earned below the Lower Earnings Limit and got nothing. Now he receives 80% of his average weekly earnings, which is £88 for a full week off, because that is lower than £123.25. It is not full wages, but it is a meaningful improvement on zero.

To see how sick pay interacts with your normal take-home, our guide to the UK minimum wage 2026 and take-home pay covers the current wage floors, including the £12.71 National Living Wage for over-21s from April 2026.

Company Sick Pay vs Statutory Sick Pay

SSP is a floor, not a ceiling. Many employers, particularly larger businesses, the NHS and the public sector, offer occupational sick pay that is far more generous. A typical scheme pays full salary for a set number of weeks, then half pay, before dropping to SSP only.

Your entitlement will be set out in your contract or staff handbook, and employers must include their sick pay terms in your written statement of employment particulars. When comparing job offers, occupational sick pay is a genuinely valuable benefit worth weighing alongside salary. There is no verified national average for company scheme generosity, but broadly, public sector and professional roles offer the strongest schemes, while retail, hospitality and care roles more often pay SSP only.

How to Claim Sick Pay: Step by Step

1. Tell your employer as soon as possible. Follow your workplace sickness reporting procedure, usually a phone call before your shift. Do this within their deadline or within 7 days at the latest.
2. Self-certify for the first 7 calendar days. You do not need any medical evidence for the first week. Most employers ask you to complete a short self-certification form when you return.
3. Get a fit note if you are off longer than 7 days. Fit notes can be issued by GPs, hospital doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and digital fit notes are valid.
4. Check your payslip. SSP should appear in your normal pay run for the days you missed. Query anything that looks wrong with payroll promptly.
5. Challenge non-payment if needed. If your employer refuses to pay SSP you believe you are due, ask for the reason in writing. If you still disagree, contact HMRC’s statutory payments dispute team, and Acas can advise on next steps.

What If You Are Not Eligible or Your SSP Runs Out

If you are self-employed, SSP does not apply, because there is no employer to pay it. Self-employed workers who cannot work through illness may be able to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit.

If you are an employee and your 28 weeks of SSP are exhausted, your employer must give you form SSP1, which supports a claim for ESA. It is worth using a benefits calculator through GOV.UK to check what support fits your circumstances.

Long illness can also prompt bigger career questions. Some people use recovery time to retrain towards less physically demanding work. If that is you, Coffee & Study’s personal development courses are a gentle way to build new skills at your own pace, and our career change CV template can help you present a health-related gap positively.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming you still need to wait three days

The three waiting days were abolished on 6 April 2026. If your employer only starts paying from day four of your absence, they are applying the old rules. Politely point them to the current GOV.UK guidance, as payroll teams can lag behind rule changes.

Not reporting your absence correctly

Your employer can withhold SSP for days you did not report in time without good reason. Always follow the reporting procedure in your contract, even if you feel too unwell for a long conversation. A short call or message on day one protects your money.

Believing part-time or low earnings disqualify you

This was true before April 2026 and is now false. There is no earnings threshold. If you work two shifts a week on minimum wage, you still qualify, just at 80% of your average weekly earnings if that is below £123.25.

Confusing SSP with company sick pay

If your contract promises 4 weeks at full pay, your employer cannot pay you bare SSP instead during those weeks. Equally, do not assume every employer pays more than the minimum. Read your contract before you need it.

Resigning instead of getting support

Some people quit when a health condition makes their current role difficult. Before resigning, explore reasonable adjustments, occupational health referrals and phased returns. Your employer has legal duties if your condition amounts to a disability under the Equality Act 2010.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is sick pay in the UK in 2026?

Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25 per week from 6 April 2026, paid for up to 28 weeks. You receive the lower of the flat rate or 80% of your average weekly earnings. Many employers pay more under company sick pay schemes, so check your contract for your full entitlement.

Do I get sick pay from day one?

Yes. From 6 April 2026 the three unpaid waiting days have been abolished under the Employment Rights Act. SSP is now payable from your first qualifying day of sickness, which is the first day you would normally have worked but could not because you were ill.

Do part-time workers get sick pay?

Yes. The Lower Earnings Limit was removed in April 2026, so there is no minimum earnings requirement. Part-time and low-paid workers receive 80% of their average weekly earnings where that is lower than £123.25 per week. SSP is paid only for your normal working days.

How long can I stay on sick pay?

SSP lasts for a maximum of 28 weeks in any one period of sickness, including linked periods that are 8 weeks or less apart. After that, your employer gives you form SSP1 so you can claim Employment and Support Allowance if you are still unable to work.

Can my employer refuse to pay SSP?

Only for valid reasons, such as absence not reported in time, no fit note after 7 days, or the 28-week maximum being reached. If they refuse, ask for written reasons. You can then raise a dispute with HMRC’s statutory payments team, and Acas offers free advice on enforcing your rights.

Is sick pay taxed?

Yes. SSP and company sick pay are both paid through payroll as earnings, so income tax and National Insurance are deducted in the normal way. On a low weekly amount like £123.25 you may pay little or no tax, depending on your tax code and other income in the pay period.

Whether you are recovering from illness or planning your next move, the right role makes a huge difference to your working life. Browse hundreds of live vacancies across every sector on our UK jobs board, and compare employers’ benefits, including sick pay schemes, before you apply.