Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25 a week in 2026/27, or 80% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower. Since 6 April 2026 it is paid from the first day you are off sick, there is no minimum earnings level to qualify, and it can be paid for up to 28 weeks. Your employer pays it through your normal wages, and it is taxed in the same way as ordinary pay.

Statutory Sick Pay, usually called SSP, is the legal minimum sick pay in the United Kingdom. It is not a benefit you claim from the government. Your employer must pay it if you meet the conditions, and many employers pay more than the statutory minimum under their own company sick pay scheme. If your employer pays contractual sick pay, that replaces SSP rather than adding to it, unless your contract says otherwise.

Benefit rates and sick pay rules change, so check the GOV.UK pages linked at the end of this article before you act on the figures here. This article is general information, not personal advice.

What is Statutory Sick Pay?

Statutory Sick Pay is the minimum amount an employer must pay an employee who cannot work because of illness or injury. It applies to employees, including part-time workers, agency workers and workers on fixed-term contracts. It does not apply to self-employed people, who cannot get SSP and may instead need to look at Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.

SSP is paid for qualifying days, which are the days you would normally have worked. If you work Monday to Friday, those five days are your qualifying days. If you work irregular shifts, your qualifying days are the days you were due to work. SSP is not paid for days you would not have worked anyway, such as your normal days off.

Your employer works out your average weekly earnings over the eight weeks before your sickness began. That figure decides whether you get the full weekly rate or the 80% rate. If your average weekly earnings are below the standard rate, you get 80% of your average weekly earnings instead of the full £123.25.

How much is Statutory Sick Pay in 2026/27?

The standard rate of Statutory Sick Pay for the 2026/27 tax year is £123.25 a week, according to the GOV.UK benefit and pension rates publication. That is up from £118.75 a week in 2025/26. The rate usually changes each April, so the figure for the next tax year may be different.

If your average weekly earnings are lower than the standard rate, you are paid 80% of your average weekly earnings instead. For example, someone whose average weekly earnings are £100 would get £80 a week in SSP. The 80% rule was introduced at the same time as the other April 2026 changes, so that the lowest-paid workers are not paid more in sick pay than they earn when they are working.

To work out the daily rate, divide the weekly rate by the number of qualifying days in the week. For someone who normally works five days a week, the daily rate is £24.65. You are then paid that daily amount for each qualifying day you are off sick, up to the weekly maximum.

SSP is paid in the same way as your wages, usually on your normal payday, and it is subject to income tax and National Insurance in the usual way. It counts as earnings, so it can affect other payments that depend on your income.

Who qualifies for Statutory Sick Pay?

To qualify for SSP you must be an employee, you must have started work for your employer, and you must be sick for at least four consecutive days, including days you would not normally work. You must also tell your employer that you are sick, following whatever reporting rules your employer has set, such as telephoning by a certain time on the first day.

There is no longer a minimum earnings level. Before 6 April 2026 you had to earn at least the lower earnings limit, which was £125 a week in 2025/26. That requirement was removed by the Employment Rights Act 2025, so lower-paid workers now qualify for SSP as well. Agency workers, casual workers and people on zero-hours contracts can qualify too, provided they meet the other conditions and have average weekly earnings to work out the 80% figure from.

You do not qualify if you have already used up your 28 weeks of SSP for the same period of sickness, if you are getting Statutory Maternity Pay, or if you are in legal custody. You also cannot get SSP if your employment has ended, although you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance instead. If you have more than one job, you can get SSP from each employer separately, provided you qualify under each job.

What changed in April 2026?

The Employment Rights Act 2025 made the biggest changes to Statutory Sick Pay since the 1980s, and they took effect on 6 April 2026. Three things changed. First, SSP became payable from the first day of sickness. Second, the lower earnings limit was removed. Third, the 80% of earnings rule was introduced for people whose earnings fall below the standard rate.

Before those changes, the rules were much less generous. SSP was £118.75 a week in 2025/26, it was not paid for the first three qualifying days of sickness, which were known as waiting days, and you had to earn at least £125 a week to qualify at all. Someone off sick for three days or fewer got nothing, and a low-paid worker who earned below the limit got nothing at all.

The April 2026 changes mean a short illness is now paid, and a low-paid worker now gets something, even if it is only 80% of their usual earnings. The 28-week maximum and the requirement to be sick for four consecutive days to form a period of incapacity for work were not changed. If your employer's sick pay policy or your contract still mentions waiting days or a minimum earnings level, it is out of date and should be checked against the current GOV.UK guidance.

How is Statutory Sick Pay worked out?

When you are sick for four or more consecutive days, you form what is called a period of incapacity for work. SSP is then paid for the qualifying days inside that period, from the first day of sickness under the current rules. The count includes weekends and other non-working days when deciding whether the four days have been reached, but SSP itself is only paid for qualifying days.

Periods of sickness that are eight weeks or less apart can be linked together and treated as one period. That matters because the 28-week limit applies to each period of incapacity for work, and linking stops the clock from restarting every time someone returns to work for a few days and then goes off sick again with the same condition.

SSP can be paid for a maximum of 28 weeks for one period of sickness. Once the 28 weeks are used up, your employer must give you form SSP1, which explains that your SSP has ended, and you can then consider claiming Employment and Support Allowance. Your employer should also tell you if they think you are not entitled to SSP, and give you form SSP1 so you can challenge the decision or claim another benefit.

Do you need a fit note?

You can self-certify for the first seven days of sickness. That means you tell your employer you are sick, and your employer may ask you to fill in a self-certification form, but you do not need a doctor's note. After seven days, your employer can ask for a fit note, which is the official Statement of Fitness for Work.

A fit note can be issued by a doctor, nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist or physiotherapist. It says whether you are not fit for work, or may be fit for work if your employer makes changes such as different hours or lighter duties. Your employer does not have to follow the suggestions on a fit note, but they must consider them. The Daily Byte has a separate explainer on what a fit note is and how to get one.

What if your employer refuses to pay SSP?

If your employer says you are not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, they must give you form SSP1 within seven days of the decision, or within seven days of your SSP ending. The form sets out the reasons and tells you what to do next. You can ask HM Revenue and Customs to decide whether you are entitled, and HMRC can order your employer to pay if it finds in your favour.

Keep a record of the dates you were sick, when you told your employer, any fit notes you provided, and any letters or messages about sick pay. Those records are useful if you need to challenge a refusal or make a claim for another benefit. If you are refused SSP because your earnings are too low, remember that the lower earnings limit no longer applies, and that alone is not a valid reason for a refusal under the current rules.

SSP and company sick pay

Many employers pay more than the statutory minimum. Contractual sick pay, sometimes called occupational sick pay, is set out in your contract or staff handbook and may pay your full salary for a period, or a percentage of it. If your employer pays contractual sick pay, that usually replaces SSP, and your employer tops up the difference so that you receive the contractual amount rather than SSP on top of it.

Check your contract to see what you are entitled to. Some schemes only start after a qualifying period of employment, and some reduce after a set number of weeks. If you are unsure what your contract says, ask your employer or your trade union representative. Citizens Advice can also help you understand your sick pay rights.

Frequently asked questions

How much SSP do I get per day? Divide the weekly rate by the number of days you normally work each week. For a five-day week at the 2026/27 rate of £123.25, the daily rate is £24.65. If you earn less than the standard rate, your SSP is 80% of your average weekly earnings, divided the same way.

When does SSP start? Since 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first day of sickness. Before that date, the first three qualifying days were unpaid waiting days.

How long can I get SSP for? Up to 28 weeks for one period of sickness. After that, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance.

Do part-time workers get SSP? Yes. Part-time, agency and zero-hours workers can all qualify, and there is no minimum earnings level since April 2026. Your SSP is worked out from your average weekly earnings over the previous eight weeks.

Can self-employed people get SSP? No. SSP is only for employees. Self-employed people who cannot work because of illness may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.

What if I am only sick for one day? Since 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first day of sickness, so a single day off sick can qualify if you meet the other conditions. You must still tell your employer you are sick, following their reporting rules.

What should I do if my employer will not pay? Ask for form SSP1, which your employer must give you. You can then ask HMRC to decide whether you are entitled, and you can consider claiming Employment and Support Allowance in the meantime.