Statutory Sick Pay Calculator
Free, instant estimate — no sign-up. Enter the details below to see the calculation and the result.
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Informational estimate only, based on official GOV.UK guidance and assumes the person is eligible — see the eligibility notes below. Not legal or payroll advice.
Quick answer: Statutory Sick Pay is whichever is lower: £123.25 a week for 2026/27, or 80% of average weekly earnings, paid from the first day of sickness absence.
Written by Ruby Miller · HR & Employment Law Content Lead
How this is calculated
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid from the first day of sickness absence — the three-day waiting period and the lower earnings limit were both removed from 6 April 2026. The weekly rate is whichever is lower: the flat rate of £123.25 for 2026/27, or 80% of average weekly earnings (this protects lower earners from being paid more than 80% of what they normally earn).
SSP is paid per “qualifying day” — the days an employee normally works. The daily rate is the applicable weekly rate divided by the number of qualifying days in the week, multiplied by the number of qualifying days of sickness absence, up to a maximum of 28 weeks in total per period of incapacity (or linked periods within 8 weeks of each other). This calculator tracks that 28-week ceiling if you enter how many SSP weeks have already been paid.
Being off sick doesn’t reduce your statutory holiday entitlement — leave continues to accrue as normal during sickness absence. See the Holiday Entitlement Calculator to check what you’re still building up while off sick.
How the SSP rate and rules have changed
SSP isn’t a static figure — both the rate and the eligibility rules have shifted meaningfully in the last few years:
| Period | Weekly rate | Waiting days |
|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £116.75 | First 3 qualifying days unpaid |
| 2025/26 | £118.75 | First 3 qualifying days unpaid |
| 2026/27 | £123.25 | None — paid from day one (from 6 April 2026) |
The removal of the 3-waiting-day rule is the bigger practical change for most people — previously, a short 2- or 3-day sickness absence often meant no SSP at all, since payment only started on the fourth qualifying day.
Who this applies to
This tool assumes you qualify; it doesn’t check for you. The conditions that actually decide that are:
- You are an employee for whom the employer is responsible for SSP.
- You are off sick for at least one full working (qualifying) day. For absences starting on or after 6 April 2026, there is no 4-consecutive-day minimum.
- You tell your employer you are sick within their required time limit (or within 7 days if they have not set one).
- There is no Lower Earnings Limit for SSP from 6 April 2026; eligible employees can qualify regardless of earnings.
Special cases
More than one employer
If you work for more than one employer, each one assesses SSP eligibility and pays it separately based on your earnings and qualifying days with them — this calculator estimates one employer’s liability at a time.
Occupational sick pay on top of SSP
Many employers offer a more generous contractual sick pay scheme that includes SSP as part of (not on top of) the total figure. Check your contract or staff handbook — this calculator only estimates the statutory minimum.
Returning to work then falling sick again
If a new absence starts within 8 weeks of a previous one ending, the two periods are usually “linked” and count towards the same 28-week maximum — enter the weeks already used from the earlier period in the field above.
Part-time and variable-hours workers
Qualifying days are the days you’d normally be expected to work, not calendar days — a part-time worker on 3 qualifying days a week has a higher daily SSP rate than a 5-day worker on the same weekly amount, since the same weekly rate is divided across fewer days.
Worked examples
What this calculator doesn’t cover
- Does not apply “linked period” rules for determining whether separate absences within 8 weeks count towards the same 28-week allowance — you enter the weeks already used yourself.
- Average weekly earnings must be entered manually rather than calculated from payslips.
- Does not check employee status, notification timing, or other individual exclusions — it assumes the absence otherwise qualifies.
- For sickness that began before 6 April 2026, transitional rules can change the result; this calculator is designed primarily for absences starting on or after 6 April 2026.
- Does not model any employer-specific occupational sick pay scheme that pays more than the statutory minimum.
Common mix-ups worth clearing up
SSP rules changed meaningfully in April 2026, and a lot of the confusion we still see traces straight back to that — people (and some older HR guides) working from the pre-reform rules without realising it.
- ✕Assuming there’s still a 3-day waiting period. The single most common one right now. This was removed from 6 April 2026 — SSP is now payable from the very first qualifying day of sickness absence.
- ✕Dividing the weekly rate by 7 instead of qualifying days. The daily SSP rate is the weekly rate divided by how many days you’d normally work in a week, not by 7 calendar days.
- ✕Losing track of linked periods. Two absences within 8 weeks of each other share the same 28-week SSP allowance — treating each one as a fresh 28-week entitlement overstates what’s actually owed.
FAQs
Is SSP always £123.25 a week?
No. You get whichever is lower: £123.25 a week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings. Lower earners may get less than the flat rate.
Is there a maximum length of time SSP can be paid?
Yes, SSP is limited to 28 weeks per period of incapacity for work (or linked periods within 8 weeks of each other). Enter how many weeks have already been paid and this calculator will cap the remaining allowance accordingly.
Is SSP paid for the first day of sickness now?
Yes, from 6 April 2026 the previous 3-day waiting period was removed, so SSP is payable from the very first qualifying day of a sickness absence, provided the other eligibility conditions are met.
What counts as a “qualifying day”?
A qualifying day is a day you’d normally be expected to work under your contract — non-working days (such as a normal day off) don’t count, even if you’re sick on them.
Do I need a doctor’s note (fit note) to get SSP?
For absences of 7 days or less, self-certification is normally enough — a fit note is typically only required once an absence extends beyond 7 consecutive days, including non-working days.
Can I get SSP if I’m self-employed?
No. SSP is only available to employees paid through PAYE by an employer — self-employed people aren’t eligible and would need to look at other forms of income protection instead.
Can I get SSP if my earnings are below the old Lower Earnings Limit?
Yes, if you otherwise qualify. From 6 April 2026 the Lower Earnings Limit was removed for SSP eligibility. Lower earnings can reduce the amount because SSP is the lower of £123.25 a week or 80% of average weekly earnings, but low earnings alone no longer block eligibility.