Employment

Sick Pay: What You're Actually Entitled To (It's Probably Less Than You Think)

Nobody plans to get sick. But when it happens, you need to know: will I still get paid?

The answer, unfortunately, is "it depends." And for a lot of people, the answer is "not much."

The Brutal Truth About Statutory Sick Pay

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the legal minimum your employer must pay when you're off sick. It's £116.75 per week. That's it. £116.75. For the whole week.

To put that in perspective, if you normally earn £30,000 a year (about £577/week), SSP replaces roughly 20% of your income. You're losing 80% of your pay.

And it gets worse: you don't get anything for the first three days. Those are "waiting days." SSP only kicks in from day four.

So if you're off sick Monday to Friday:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Nothing
  • Thursday, Friday: SSP (about £33 total for those two days)

Not exactly reassuring when you're lying in bed with flu.

Do You Even Qualify?

To get SSP, you need to:

  • Be an employee (not self-employed)
  • Have been off sick for at least 4 days in a row (including weekends)
  • Earn at least £123 per week on average
  • Have actually done some work for your employer

If you earn less than £123/week, you get nothing from SSP. You might be able to claim Universal Credit instead, but that's a whole other process.

The four-day rule is important. If you're off Monday and Tuesday, back Wednesday, then off Thursday and Friday, those don't count as four consecutive days. You get nothing. The days have to be in a row.

Self-employed people get nothing. No SSP, no company sick pay, nothing. This is one of the hidden costs of self-employment.

Company Sick Pay: The Lottery

Here's where it varies wildly.

Some employers offer generous sick pay schemes:

  • NHS: 6 months full pay, then 6 months half pay
  • Civil Service: Similar to NHS
  • Big corporates: Often 2-6 months full pay

Others offer statutory minimum. Nothing extra. And many have qualifying periods. You might need to work there for 3 months, 6 months, or a year before you get any company sick pay. Check your contract or staff handbook. This information should be there.

The difference between good and bad sick pay schemes is enormous. For someone earning £35,000 off sick for 3 months:

  • Good scheme (6 months full pay): 3 months × £2,917/month = £8,751 total
  • Statutory only: 3 waiting days + 12 weeks SSP = approximately £1,400 total

That's a difference of over £7,000. For the same illness, the same time off.

The Self-Certification Thing

For the first 7 days of sickness, you can "self-certify." You just tell your employer you're sick. No doctor's note needed.

After 7 days, you need a fit note (what used to be called a sick note) from your GP or hospital.

Fit notes can say:

  • "Not fit for work" – You can't work at all
  • "May be fit for work" – You could work with adjustments (reduced hours, different duties, etc.)

If your fit note says "may be fit for work" and your employer can't accommodate the adjustments, you're treated as not fit for work.

Long-Term Sickness

SSP lasts for up to 28 weeks. After that, it stops.

If you're still too ill to work after 28 weeks, you might be able to claim:

  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Universal Credit
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you have a disability

These are means-tested or require assessments. They're not automatic. Your employer can't just fire you for being sick, but after extended absence, they can potentially dismiss you for "capability." They have to follow a fair process, consider adjustments, and give you a chance to recover. But it can happen.

The Stuff People Don't Know

You keep accruing holiday while sick. Even if you're off for months, your holiday entitlement builds up. If you can't take it because of illness, you can carry over up to 4 weeks to the following year.

Sick during your holiday? You can reclaim those days. If you fall ill on day 2 of a two-week holiday, you can take those days as sick leave instead and rebook the holiday for later.

Pregnancy-related sickness is protected. You can't be penalised for pregnancy-related illness.

Mental health counts. Stress, anxiety, depression – these are legitimate reasons for sick leave. You're entitled to the same sick pay as for physical illness.

What Your Employer Can and Can't Do

They can:

  • Ask for a fit note after 7 days
  • Require you to see occupational health
  • Contact you during sick leave (within reason)
  • Set absence triggers for formal procedures

They can't:

  • Refuse to pay SSP if you qualify
  • Fire you just for being sick
  • Discriminate against you for disability-related absence
  • Pressure you to return before you're ready

Protecting Yourself

  • Know your company's policy. Before you get sick, find out what you're entitled to.
  • Build an emergency fund. If you're on SSP only, you need savings to cover the gap.
  • Consider income protection insurance. It pays out if you can't work due to illness.
  • Don't come back too early. Returning before you're ready often leads to relapse and more time off.
  • Document everything. Keep copies of fit notes, correspondence, and records of any meetings.

The Honest Summary

UK sick pay is not generous. SSP is poverty-level income, and many employers don't offer much more.

If you're lucky enough to work somewhere with a good sick pay scheme, appreciate it. If you're not, plan accordingly. Build savings, understand your rights, and don't assume you'll be looked after.

Getting sick is stressful enough without money worries on top. Know what you're entitled to before you need it.

Related Calculators

Check the numbers for your situation:

sick-pay,SSP,employment-rights,statutory-pay