Can my employer refuse to pay SSP if I do not get a fit note within the first week?

No. For the first seven calendar days of absence you can self-certify your illness — a fit note is only required if your absence continues beyond seven calendar days. Your employer cannot withhold SSP solely because you have not produced a fit note during that initial period, provided you followed the correct notification procedure.

Does SSP count as income for Universal Credit purposes?

Yes. SSP is treated as earnings for Universal Credit calculations, meaning it affects your UC award in the same way as regular wages. If your SSP is low enough, you may still be entitled to some Universal Credit to top up your income during a period of sickness — use the government's benefit calculator on GOV.UK to check your position.

I am on a zero-hours contract. Am I entitled to SSP?

Potentially yes. Zero-hours contract workers who are classed as employees (rather than genuinely self-employed) and who meet the earnings and consecutive-days tests can qualify for SSP. The key is your average weekly earnings over the eight weeks before you fell ill — if they are at or above the Lower Earnings Limit, you should be eligible.

What happens if I am still too ill to work when SSP runs out after 28 weeks?

Your employer must give you an SSP1 form, which you can use to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit. You may also have rights under your employer's capability procedure, and if your condition qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments. Seek independent advice from Citizens Advice or Acas before accepting any outcome that affects your employment.

Can I be made redundant while I am off sick and receiving SSP?

Yes, but the redundancy must be genuine — the role itself must be at risk, not the fact of your illness. You are entitled to the same redundancy rights as any other employee, including statutory redundancy pay, the correct notice period, and consultation. Dismissing someone because of their sickness absence, rather than a genuine redundancy situation, can amount to unfair dismissal or disability discrimination.

Statutory Sick Pay UK Explained: Who Qualifies & How It Works

Statutory Sick Pay UK explained: who qualifies, how long SSP is paid, waiting days, fit notes, SSP vs occupational sick pay, and what to do when SSP ends.

Falling ill and being unable to work is stressful enough without worrying about your income. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum legal safety net that most employees in the UK are entitled to when sickness keeps them away from work. Whether you are a nurse on a hospital ward, a chef in a busy kitchen, a delivery driver, a teaching assistant, a retail supervisor, or an office administrator, the same core rules apply. This guide explains how SSP works, who qualifies, how much you can expect to receive, and what happens when SSP runs out — so you can make informed decisions about your finances and your career. It is general guidance only; always verify current figures and your personal position on GOV.UK and with Acas, whose advice is free and impartial.

What Is Statutory Sick Pay?

SSP is a payment that qualifying employees receive from their employer when they are too ill to work. It is a statutory minimum, meaning Parliament sets the floor — employers must pay at least this amount, but they are free to offer more generous contractual sick pay (also called occupational sick pay) on top of or instead of SSP. Many larger employers — particularly in the NHS, local government, and established private-sector firms — do operate enhanced schemes, but smaller businesses in hospitality, construction, social care, and retail often pay SSP only.

SSP is paid at a flat weekly rate set by the government, which is reviewed each April as part of the annual uprating of employment-related benefits. Because this figure changes regularly, you should always check the current weekly rate on GOV.UK rather than relying on any figure quoted in third-party guides — including this one. Your employer deducts tax and National Insurance from SSP in the same way as regular wages.

Who Qualifies for SSP?

To be eligible for SSP you must meet three conditions simultaneously:

You must be classed as an employee. SSP covers employees — people who work under a contract of employment. This includes many workers on zero-hours contracts and fixed-term contracts, provided they otherwise meet the criteria. If you are genuinely self-employed you are not entitled to SSP; you would instead need to consider claiming New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). If your employment status is unclear, Acas can help you work it out. You might also find our guides on zero-hours contracts and fixed-term contracts useful background reading.
You must have average weekly earnings at or above the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL). The LEL is the minimum weekly wage at which National Insurance contributions start to count. It is uprated each April alongside SSP itself. If your average earnings fall below the LEL — for example, because you work very few hours — you do not currently qualify for SSP, though see the reform note below. Again, check the current LEL figure on GOV.UK.
You must be sick for at least four consecutive days, including non-working days. This is known as a Period of Incapacity for Work (PIW). Weekends, bank holidays, and rest days all count toward those four days even if your employer would not normally pay you for them. The days on which you are actually entitled to receive SSP within a PIW are called qualifying days — usually your contracted working days.

These rules apply equally across every sector and occupation — a care home worker who is off sick over a bank holiday weekend, a sous chef ill from Monday to Thursday, or a warehouse operative recovering from a back injury all use exactly the same framework to calculate entitlement.

Waiting Days, Linked Periods, and How Long SSP Lasts

The first three qualifying days of a PIW are called waiting days. Under current rules, SSP is not normally payable for these three days — they function as an unpaid gap before payments begin. This means that for a short illness of, say, five working days, you would typically only receive SSP for two of those days.

There is an important exception known as linked periods of incapacity. If you have a second spell of sickness that begins within eight weeks of the end of a previous PIW, the two periods are treated as a single linked PIW. In a linked PIW you do not serve waiting days again — SSP kicks in from the first qualifying day of the new illness. This is particularly relevant for people with recurring conditions such as chronic back pain, anxiety, or a long-term health condition that causes intermittent absences.

SSP can be paid for a maximum of 28 weeks in any PIW (or linked PIW). Once you have exhausted those 28 weeks — or if you do not qualify for SSP in the first place — your employer must give you an SSP1 form, which you can use to support a claim for Universal Credit or New Style ESA.

How to Notify Your Employer and What Fit Notes Cover

Most employers have a self-certification policy for the first seven calendar days of absence — you do not need a doctor's note during this window, though you may need to complete a form or make a phone call on your first day of sickness in line with your employer's absence-reporting procedure. Failing to follow the notification procedure correctly can, in some circumstances, allow your employer to withhold SSP, so check your contract or staff handbook as soon as you know you will be off.

For absences of more than seven consecutive calendar days, you will need a fit note (previously called a sick note or Statement of Fitness for Work) from a GP or other authorised healthcare professional. A fit note can either state that you are "not fit for work" or that you "may be fit for work" with adjustments — for example, reduced hours, modified duties, or a phased return. Employers are not legally obliged to accept the "may be fit for work" option, but Acas strongly encourages them to consider it as a way of supporting employees back into work more quickly and sustainably.

Employees do not claim SSP from HMRC or the DWP — the obligation sits entirely with the employer, who pays it through the normal payroll cycle. If your employer refuses to pay SSP that you believe you are owed, you can raise a grievance internally and, if unresolved, contact HMRC's SSP dispute resolution service.

Contractual Sick Pay, SSP Ending, and Job Security

Some employers offer contractual (occupational) sick pay that is more generous than SSP — for example, full pay for a period followed by half pay. Where such a scheme exists, it typically runs alongside and satisfies the SSP obligation for the relevant period. Always read your contract carefully: terms like "subject to qualifying period" mean you may not be eligible if you are still on probation.

When SSP ends after 28 weeks, your employer must issue you an SSP1 form promptly. You can use this to apply for New Style ESA (which is contribution-based and does not depend on household income) or Universal Credit (which is means-tested). Seeking advice from Citizens Advice or an employment law solicitor is sensible at this stage if your condition is likely to be long-term.

Sickness absence also intersects with redundancy and notice periods. Your employer cannot lawfully dismiss you because you are ill without going through a fair capability procedure. If you are made redundant while on sick leave, your statutory redundancy entitlements are the same as for any other employee — see our guide to redundancy pay for a full breakdown. Similarly, notice rights during sickness absence — including the interaction between statutory minimum notice and contractual notice — are explained in our notice period guide.

Planned Reform: Removing Waiting Days and the Lower Earnings Limit

At the time of writing, the UK government has announced plans to reform SSP as part of the Employment Rights Bill — specifically to remove the three waiting days and abolish the lower earnings limit requirement so that lower-paid and part-time workers can access SSP from day one of illness. This would be a significant change affecting millions of workers in sectors such as retail, hospitality, social care, and cleaning, where part-time and lower-paid employment is common.

However, a firm commencement date for these changes had not been confirmed at the time this guide was prepared. Reform timelines can shift as legislation passes through Parliament, and the detail of implementation may differ from initial announcements. Do not rely on any date quoted in a third-party guide — check GOV.UK directly for the latest position. Once the reform takes effect, the eligibility and waiting-day sections of this guide will no longer fully reflect the law.

FAQ

Can my employer refuse to pay SSP if I do not get a fit note within the first week?: No. For the first seven calendar days of absence you can self-certify your illness — a fit note is only required if your absence continues beyond seven calendar days. Your employer cannot withhold SSP solely because you have not produced a fit note during that initial period, provided you followed the correct notification procedure.
Does SSP count as income for Universal Credit purposes?: Yes. SSP is treated as earnings for Universal Credit calculations, meaning it affects your UC award in the same way as regular wages. If your SSP is low enough, you may still be entitled to some Universal Credit to top up your income during a period of sickness — use the government's benefit calculator on GOV.UK to check your position.
I am on a zero-hours contract. Am I entitled to SSP?: Potentially yes. Zero-hours contract workers who are classed as employees (rather than genuinely self-employed) and who meet the earnings and consecutive-days tests can qualify for SSP. The key is your average weekly earnings over the eight weeks before you fell ill — if they are at or above the Lower Earnings Limit, you should be eligible. Our guide to zero-hours contracts covers employment status in more detail.
What happens if I am still too ill to work when SSP runs out after 28 weeks?: Your employer must give you an SSP1 form, which you can use to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit. You may also have rights under your employer's capability procedure, and if your condition qualifies as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments. Seek independent advice from Citizens Advice or Acas before accepting any outcome that affects your employment.
Can I be made redundant while I am off sick and receiving SSP?: Yes, but the redundancy must be genuine — the role itself must be at risk, not the fact of your illness. You are entitled to the same redundancy rights as any other employee, including statutory redundancy pay, the correct notice period, and consultation. Dismissing someone because of their sickness absence, rather than a genuine redundancy situation, can amount to unfair dismissal or disability discrimination. See our redundancy pay guide for full details on your entitlements.

Understanding your sick pay rights is one piece of the wider picture when managing your career. Whether you are looking for a role with more generous occupational sick pay, exploring a move to a more stable contract, or simply keeping your options open, Atlas can help. Atlas is an AI agent that searches thousands of UK job vacancies every day across every sector — from healthcare and hospitality to engineering, education, finance, and the trades — scoring each role against your CV and surfacing the best matches automatically. Create a free account and let Atlas do the searching while you focus on getting well.