From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. It's paid from your first day off sick, there's no minimum earnings level any more, and it lasts for up to 28 weeks. These changes came in under the Employment Rights Act 2025 and are now in force.
What changed in April 2026
Three things are different from the old rules:
- No waiting days. SSP used to start on the fourth qualifying day you were off. Now it's payable from the first full day of sickness absence.
- No Lower Earnings Limit. You used to need average earnings of at least £125 a week to get anything. That test has gone, so low earners and people with several small jobs can now qualify.
- The 80% rule. Because lower earners now qualify, the rate is capped at 80% of your average weekly earnings so nobody gets more in sick pay than they normally earn.
How the weekly rate is worked out
Take your average weekly earnings before tax, usually over the 8 weeks before you went off sick. Work out 80% of that figure and compare it with £123.25. You get the lower of the two.
| Average weekly earnings | 80% of earnings | Weekly SSP |
|---|---|---|
| £100 | £80 | £80 |
| £120 | £96 | £96 |
| £150 | £120 | £120 |
| About £154 or more | About £123.25 or more | £123.25 |
| £400 | £320 | £123.25 |
So anyone averaging roughly £154 a week or more gets the full £123.25. Paid monthly? Multiply your monthly pay by 12 and divide by 52. £1,500 a month works out at £346.15 a week, well above the point where the flat rate kicks in.
Turning the weekly rate into a daily rate
SSP is only paid for your qualifying days, which are normally the days you'd usually work. Divide the weekly rate by the number of qualifying days in your week:
| Days worked a week | Daily SSP at £123.25 |
|---|---|
| 5 | £24.65 |
| 4 | £30.81 |
| 3 | £41.08 |
Worked examples
Full-time, £400 a week, off for two weeks
80% of £400 is £320, which is more than £123.25, so the weekly rate is £123.25. Over a five-day week that's £24.65 a day. Ten working days off pays 10 × £24.65 = £246.50. Under the old rules the first three days would have been unpaid.
Part-time, £120 a week, off for three days
80% of £120 is £96, less than £123.25, so the weekly rate is £96. Over five days that's £19.20 a day, and three days off pays £57.60. Before April 2026 this person earned too little to get any SSP at all.
Two days a week, £140 a week
80% of £140 is £112. Spread over two qualifying days that's £56 a day. Off sick for three of your working days (one and a half weeks) pays £168.
Who can get it
GOV.UK sets out three conditions. You must:
- be classed as an employee (agency workers count)
- have done some work for your employer
- have been ill for at least one full working day
You can't get it if you've already had the maximum 28 weeks, or if you're getting Statutory Maternity Pay.
Telling your employer and fit notes
You need to tell your employer you're ill by their deadline. If they haven't set one, the default is within 7 days. Late notice can cost you some of your SSP.
For the first 7 days you can self-certify. If you're off for more than 7 days in a row, counting non-working days too, you'll need a fit note. Your employer can choose to accept other evidence, such as an Allied Health Professional's health and work report.
How long it lasts
SSP runs for up to 28 weeks. At the full rate that's a maximum of £3,451 for one spell of sickness. Periods of sickness count as linked if each lasts more than one full working day and they're 8 weeks or less apart. Linked spells share the same 28 weeks, and SSP stops if a chain of linked periods goes on for more than 3 years.
When your SSP is ending, your employer has to send you form SSP1. You'll need it if you go on to claim Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.
If you were already off sick on 6 April 2026
There are transitional rules. If you were already getting SSP before 6 April 2026 and you earn between £125 and £154.05 a week, you keep the flat £123.25 rather than dropping to 80% of your pay. That lasts until you go back to work or your SSP runs out. Any later absence uses the new 80% rule.
If you were previously shut out because your earnings were too low, you may now qualify from 6 April 2026, depending on when your absence started. Your employer or payroll provider should check this against the GOV.UK guidance.
Company sick pay
SSP is the legal minimum. Many employers pay full or part pay for a set number of weeks instead, which you get as long as it's at least as much as SSP. Check your contract or staff handbook.
Work out your own figure with the sick pay calculator. To see how a few weeks on SSP compares with your usual income, try the take-home pay calculator. Your holiday keeps building up while you're off, and the holiday entitlement calculator shows how much.
Last reviewed October 2026.