Free tool · UK 2026/27 SSP rates
UK Statutory Sick Pay Calculator
What will you receive on UK Statutory Sick Pay? £118.75/week paid on qualifying days after the 3-day waiting period, up to 28 weeks. Eligibility check, total payable, and the company sick pay top-up if your employer offers one.
How UK Statutory Sick Pay actually works
Statutory Sick Pay is a flat weekly amount — £118.75 in 2026/27 — paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks of any linked sickness period. The flat-rate structure makes SSP one of the simpler UK statutory payments, but several quirks catch people out: the 3-day waiting period before payment starts, the qualifying-days rule that only counts your normal working days, and the 28-week per-employer cap. This calculator handles all three.
SSP starts from day 4 of any sickness absence — the first 3 working days are 'waiting days' and not paid. Waiting days only count once per linked sickness period (absences within 8 weeks of each other count as linked, so the waiting days don't reset). After day 4, SSP is paid at £118.75 per week for the qualifying days (your normal working days). For a 5-day-week worker, that's the full £118.75 weekly. For a 3-day-week worker, the weekly rate is pro-rated: £118.75 × 3/5 = £71.25 per week.
Eligibility — the £125/week test and the 4-day test
Two conditions determine SSP eligibility. First, your average weekly earnings in the 8 weeks before the sickness must be at least £125 (the 2026/27 lower earnings limit for National Insurance). This means very low earners and some part-time staff don't qualify for SSP — they may instead qualify for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) directly. Second, your sickness must be at least 4 consecutive days (including non-working days). A 3-day absence doesn't qualify for SSP at all; absences of 4+ days qualify with the first 3 working days as waiting days.
Unlike SMP, there's no minimum tenure requirement for SSP — you're eligible from your first day of employment if you meet the earnings test. Self-employed people don't qualify for SSP because it's an employer-paid benefit; they apply for ESA instead. Agency workers may qualify if their average earnings meet the threshold and the absence is 4+ days during their assignment.
The 28-week cap and what comes next
SSP runs for a maximum of 28 weeks per linked sickness period, per employer. The 28 weeks count actual SSP weeks paid (not waiting days). For continuous sickness, you'll exhaust SSP at week 28 from the start (less the waiting days). For intermittent absences within 8 weeks of each other, the SSP weeks add up across the linked period.
Once you reach the 28-week cap, your employer will issue form SSP1 explaining you've used your entitlement. From there, the typical UK options are: Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you're still unable to work, paid by the government rather than your employer; Universal Credit if you're entitled (means-tested); or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you have ongoing disability. Many UK employees move to long-term sickness arrangements with their employer (often unpaid leave with continued employment) at this point — your contract should specify what happens after the SSP cap.
Company sick pay — where the real money is
SSP at £118.75/week is below subsistence level for most UK workers — £475/month gross is well under the National Living Wage. The financial reality of sickness depends almost entirely on your employer's company sick pay scheme. Common patterns:
- None. SSP only. Hardest financial impact, common in retail, hospitality, and some SMEs.
- Modest: 4 weeks at full pay, then SSP. Common in mid-market private sector.
- Standard: 13 weeks at full pay, then SSP. Common in financial services, professional services.
- Generous: 26 weeks full pay, then 26 weeks half pay, then SSP. Common in large UK corporates and public sector.
- NHS / civil service: 6 months full pay + 6 months half pay during the first year, increasing with service to 6+6 by year 5.
Company sick pay usually has conditions — most commonly that you've completed probation and that you follow the sickness absence procedure (notification within X hours, fit note submission, return-to-work meeting). Failure to follow the procedure can reduce or remove the entitlement, even when the underlying illness is genuine.
What happens to pension and benefits during SSP
Your employer's pension contributions usually continue at the pre-sickness rate during the entire paid sickness period (whether SSP only or company sick pay). This is generally a contractual benefit rather than a statutory one, but most UK employer pension schemes maintain contributions automatically. Your own contributions continue based on what you actually receive — so during SSP-only periods, your personal pension contribution drops in absolute terms.
Annual leave continues to accrue during sickness — even when on SSP. You can take annual leave during sickness if your employer permits, and you can carry over annual leave that you couldn't take due to sickness (up to 4 weeks for up to 18 months). Many UK employees end long sickness absences with significant accrued annual leave that gets paid out on return or at the end of the leave year.
The phased return question
After long sickness absence, employers and employees often arrange a 'phased return' — gradually increasing hours over 4-12 weeks. SSP rules during phased returns are nuanced: if you're working any hours, you're not entitled to SSP for those days. Employers usually fill the gap with full pay even on reduced hours, treating it as a managed return rather than continued sickness. If your employer doesn't offer phased return, the alternative (often less helpful for genuine recovery) is full return on day 1 of fitness.
Why I built this calculator
SSP is one of the most under-explained UK statutory payments. The calculation is mechanical but the qualifying-days rule and 28-week cap catch people out, and very few employees know the company sick pay scheme that overlays SSP until they need it. This calculator handles all three layers — eligibility, SSP itself, and any company sick pay top-up — so you can see what your sickness will actually pay before you make decisions about returning to work, taking unpaid leave, or applying for ESA. Pair with the UK take-home pay calculator to see net figures.
Common questions
- What is UK Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in 2026?
- UK Statutory Sick Pay is paid by employers to employees who are too unwell to work. The 2026/27 rate is £118.75 per week, paid for up to 28 weeks. SSP is paid for qualifying days only (the days you would normally have worked). The first 3 days of any sickness absence are 'waiting days' and not paid under SSP — payment starts on day 4. SSP is treated as wages for tax purposes, so income tax and National Insurance are deducted as normal. Many UK employers offer enhanced 'company sick pay' on top of SSP, sometimes covering full salary for the first few weeks.
- Am I eligible for Statutory Sick Pay?
- You qualify for UK SSP if you're an employee (not a self-employed contractor), you've been sick for at least 4 consecutive days including non-working days, and your average weekly earnings before tax are at least £125 per week (the 2026/27 lower earnings limit). You need to tell your employer you're sick within their notification deadline (usually within 7 days, often within 24 hours). For absences longer than 7 days you'll need a fit note from your GP. SSP eligibility starts from your first day of employment — there's no minimum tenure requirement.
- How long can I claim Statutory Sick Pay?
- You can claim SSP for up to 28 weeks (196 calendar days) for any single period of sickness or 'linked' sickness (multiple absences within 8 weeks of each other count as one period). After 28 weeks, your employer will usually transfer you to longer-term sickness arrangements such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit, or Personal Independence Payment depending on your circumstances. The 28-week SSP limit is per employer, not per condition — if you change jobs, the clock resets.
- What are waiting days in SSP?
- The first 3 working days of any sickness absence are 'waiting days' and are not paid under SSP — payment starts from day 4. Waiting days are counted as the days you would have normally worked, not calendar days. So if you're a Monday-Friday worker who falls sick on Wednesday, your waiting days are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday — and SSP starts the following Monday (day 4 of your normal work pattern). If you have multiple linked sickness absences within 8 weeks, the waiting days only count once across the linked period.
- Can my employer pay more than SSP?
- Yes — and most UK employers do, through 'company sick pay' or 'occupational sick pay'. Common UK patterns: 4-13 weeks at full pay then SSP, 13-26 weeks at half pay then SSP, or staircase arrangements where the entitlement increases with tenure. Public sector schemes (NHS, civil service) typically pay full pay for 6 months and half pay for the next 6 months. Private sector schemes vary widely. Check your contract or HR policy — company sick pay is one of the most variable UK benefits, and the difference between minimum and generous schemes is large.
- Is SSP paid if I am sick on a non-working day?
- No. SSP is paid only for 'qualifying days' — the days you would have normally worked. A Monday-Friday worker who is sick from Saturday to Tuesday has only Monday and Tuesday as qualifying days; Saturday and Sunday don't count. The 4-day rule for SSP eligibility (you must be sick for at least 4 consecutive days) does count calendar days including weekends, but the actual payment only applies to qualifying working days. This means part-time workers receive less SSP per week of absence than full-time workers, even at the same weekly rate.
- What if my employer refuses to pay SSP?
- Your employer must give you form SSP1 explaining why they're not paying SSP. The most common reasons are: not earning at least £125/week, sickness absence less than 4 consecutive days, or having already used 28 weeks of SSP. If you disagree with the refusal, contact HMRC's Statutory Payments Disputes Team — they have authority to investigate and order payment. Many SSP refusals are payroll errors that get resolved at this stage. The form SSP1 is also what you use to apply for ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) if you're moving from SSP to longer-term support.