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How to Use the SSP Calculator
- Enter your average weekly earnings — your gross pay (before tax/NI) averaged over the 8 weeks before sickness began.
- Enter days off sick — total calendar days off in this period of sickness.
- Pick your qualifying days per week — the days you'd normally work (5 for a standard Mon-Fri, more or fewer for shift or part-time).
- Click "Calculate" — the tool shows eligibility, daily rate, waiting-days unpaid, total SSP, and weeks remaining before the 28-week cap.
What is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?
Statutory Sick Pay is a minimum, legally-mandated payment that UK employers must pay to eligible employees who are too ill to work. For 2025/26, SSP is £118.75 per week, paid for up to 28 weeks in any single period of sickness. It's taxable and subject to National Insurance — employers deduct both before paying.
SSP is the floor, not the ceiling. Many employers offer contractual sick pay (CSP) on top of SSP, paying full or reduced salary for a longer period — 6 weeks full, 6 weeks half is common in the public sector, less common in private sector SMEs. Check your contract to see what you're entitled to beyond the legal minimum. If your contract gives you more, you get that instead of SSP; if it gives you less, SSP is the legal minimum your employer must top you up to.
Who is eligible for SSP?
To qualify for SSP, all of the following must be true:
- You're classed as an employee — not self-employed, not a worker on zero-hours without an employment relationship, and not a contractor.
- You've earned an average of at least £125 per week (the Lower Earnings Limit, 2025/26) in the 8 weeks before sickness began.
- You've been sick for 4 or more days in a row including weekends and non-working days (this is called a Period of Incapacity for Work, PIW).
- You've told your employer within their notification deadline (usually 7 days, but check contract).
If you don't meet the earnings threshold, SSP is not payable. You may instead claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit, which can replace lost income during sickness for lower earners and self-employed people.
The 3 waiting days — why the first 3 days are unpaid
SSP is not paid for the first 3 "qualifying days" of sickness. These are called waiting days. They are not literal days off — they're the days you'd normally have worked, so on a Mon-Fri job the waiting days are the first 3 days you would have worked during your period of sickness. If you're off for only 3 days or fewer, SSP pays nothing.
Many employer sick pay schemes cover the waiting days at full pay — check your contract. If they don't, you lose roughly half a week's SSP on every short illness. This is why chronic intermittent illnesses (migraines, flare-ups of long-term conditions) are often financially catastrophic for low-income workers — each short absence triggers 3 unpaid days before any SSP kicks in.
The 3 waiting days reset with each new PIW. If you come back to work for at least 8 weeks then fall ill again, you face another 3 waiting days. If you return to work for less than 8 weeks and fall ill again, the two periods "link" and you avoid another set of waiting days — but the 28-week cap on total SSP resumes counting.
The 28-week cap and what happens afterward
SSP caps at 28 weeks of payment per period of sickness. On reaching the cap, your employer issues form SSP1, which you need to claim Universal Credit or New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). These benefits usually pay less than SSP but can continue for months or years if the illness prevents return to work.
Multiple short periods of sickness can "link" into one period if separated by less than 8 weeks — the SSP clock continues counting. Once you hit 28 weeks (whether in one long absence or multiple linked shorter ones), SSP stops. You can then re-qualify after 8 full weeks of being back at work.
SSP vs contractual sick pay — what your contract should say
Check your employment contract and staff handbook for your employer's sick pay scheme. Typical schemes include:
- None above SSP — common in small private employers. You get only the legal minimum.
- Full pay for a period, then reducing — e.g. 4 weeks full pay, 4 weeks half pay, then SSP only. Typical for medium-sized private employers after probation.
- Public sector generous schemes — e.g. 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay in NHS Band 5+, after service qualification periods.
If your contract isn't explicit, ask HR for the policy document. Absence of written sick pay policy doesn't remove your SSP entitlement — that's statutory and unconditional once eligibility is met.
SSP and self-certification
For sickness of 7 days or fewer, you can self-certify — fill in form SC2 (or your employer's equivalent) declaring why you were off. For longer absences, you need a "fit note" from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional, renewed every few weeks as specified on the note. Employers can't legally require a doctor's note for absences of 7 days or fewer.
Fit notes can state you're "not fit for work" or "may be fit for work" with adjustments suggested — phased return, reduced hours, different duties. Employers should engage with "may be fit" recommendations but aren't legally required to implement them if doing so is reasonably impracticable.
What if I'm self-employed?
Self-employed people are not eligible for SSP — there's no employer to pay it. If illness prevents you from working, you can claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance (contribution-based, if you've paid enough NI in recent years) or Universal Credit (means-tested). The rates are lower than SSP but not massively so, and these are the closest equivalent protection available.
Long-term income protection insurance is a private-market alternative — monthly premiums around £20-£80 for typical policies, depending on age, occupation, and payout period. Worth considering if you rely on your own income and have limited savings; less critical if you have a substantial partner's income or deep savings to cover 6+ months of illness.
How much is SSP for 2025/26?
Statutory Sick Pay is £118.75 per week for the 2025/26 tax year. It's paid for up to 28 weeks in any single period of sickness. SSP is taxable and subject to National Insurance, like wages. Many employers offer contractual sick pay on top of SSP.
Who qualifies for SSP?
Employees who: earn at least £125/week (the 2025/26 Lower Earnings Limit) averaged over the 8 weeks before sickness began; are sick for 4+ consecutive days (including weekends); and notify their employer within the contract's notification deadline (usually 7 days). Self-employed, agency workers on very short assignments, and those below the earnings threshold are not eligible.
What are the 3 waiting days?
SSP is not paid for the first 3 "qualifying days" of any period of sickness — these are called waiting days. Qualifying days are days you would normally have worked. For a standard Mon-Fri job, the first 3 working days off are unpaid. If you're sick for 3 days or fewer, you get no SSP at all.
How many weeks of SSP can I get?
28 weeks per period of sickness. Multiple short absences separated by less than 8 weeks "link" and count together toward the 28-week cap. Once 28 weeks is used, SSP stops and your employer issues form SSP1, which you need to claim Universal Credit or New Style ESA for continued income support.
What happens if I'm sick for more than 28 weeks?
Your employer gives you form SSP1, and SSP payments stop. You can then claim Universal Credit (means-tested) or New Style Employment and Support Allowance (contribution-based, needs sufficient NI record). These continue for as long as you're unable to work, subject to regular Work Capability Assessments.
Do I need a doctor's note for SSP?
Not for the first 7 days — you can self-certify using form SC2 (or your employer's equivalent). For absences longer than 7 days, you need a fit note from a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional, renewed periodically as specified on the note. Employers cannot legally require a doctor's note for absences of 7 days or fewer.
Can I get SSP if I'm self-employed?
No — SSP is only for employees. Self-employed people unable to work due to illness can claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance (if sufficient NI contributions) or Universal Credit (means-tested). Income protection insurance is the private-market alternative, with premiums typically £20-£80/month for reasonable cover.
Does SSP count as income for tax?
Yes. SSP is treated as employment income — your employer pays it through PAYE with income tax and National Insurance deducted. It counts toward your annual Personal Allowance and your income tax bands the same way as wages or salary.
