Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator UK 2026/27
Work out how much Statutory Sick Pay you are entitled to. Updated for the day-one SSP right introduced on 6th April 2026.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum amount most employees are entitled to if they are off work sick. From 6 April 2026, changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025 mean SSP is now payable from the very first day of sickness — the previous 3 unpaid "waiting days" have been abolished, and the lower earnings limit that used to exclude the lowest earners has been removed entirely.
The current weekly rate is:
- £123.25 per week (2026/27 flat rate), or
- 80% of your average weekly earnings, if that figure is lower than the flat rate
SSP can be paid for a maximum of 28 weeks in any period of sickness (or linked periods of sickness within 8 weeks of each other). This calculator gives you the statutory minimum — your employer may offer enhanced company sick pay on top of this, so check your contract or staff handbook.
Your Details
Before tax. Use your average over the past 8 weeks if pay varies.
How many days you're contracted to work
Total days you have been (or expect to be) off sick
Checks whether the day-one SSP rules (from 6 April 2026) apply. Defaults to today.
How Statutory Sick Pay works
The basics
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum an employer must pay an employee who is off work sick. Employers can pay more under their own sick pay scheme, but never less.
For 2026/27, SSP is £123.25 a week, or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings if that is lower. It is paid for up to 28 weeks.
What changed on 6th April 2026
- No waiting days: SSP is now paid from the first full day of sickness absence. Before, the first 3 qualifying days were unpaid
- A single day of sickness now counts. Before, an employee had to be off for at least 4 days in a row
- No lower earnings limit: every employee who is off sick can now get SSP, however little they earn
- Lower earners get 80% of their average weekly earnings where that is less than the weekly rate
A day only counts if the employee is off sick for the whole of it. A day they start work and then go home sick does not count.
This calculator uses the date the sickness started to choose the rules: the new rules from 6th April 2026, the old rules before then. If a sickness absence started before 6th April 2026 and carried on after it, transitional rules apply, so check GOV.UK's guidance for that absence.
How to use the calculator
- Enter the employee's average weekly earnings before tax. These are usually worked out over the 8 weeks before the sickness started
- Enter how many days a week they normally work. These are their qualifying days
- Enter how many calendar days they have been, or expect to be, off sick, and the first day of sickness if you know it
SSP is paid for each qualifying day, so the daily rate is the weekly rate divided by the number of days the employee normally works. For someone who works 5 days a week, that is £24.65 a day at the full rate.
What employers need to do
- Pay SSP through payroll on the employee's normal payday, with tax and National Insurance deducted as usual
- Ask for a fit note if the employee is off for more than 7 days in a row
- Keep a record of each period of sickness and the SSP paid
- Give the employee form SSP1 if their SSP is ending, or if they are not entitled to it
- Check your sickness policy and contracts no longer mention waiting days or the lower earnings limit
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for Statutory Sick Pay?
An employee who has done some work under their employment contract, is off sick for at least one full day, and tells their employer and gives any evidence asked for in line with the employer's rules. Since 6th April 2026 there is no minimum earnings level, so low earners qualify too. People who are genuinely self-employed do not get SSP from a client.
How much is Statutory Sick Pay in 2026/27?
£123.25 a week, or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings if that is lower. It is paid for the days the employee normally works, so the daily amount depends on their working pattern.
Is SSP paid from the first day of sickness?
Yes, for sickness on or after 6th April 2026, from the first full day of sickness absence that would have been a working day. The 3 unpaid waiting days were abolished, and a single full day off sick now counts. A day the employee starts work and then goes home sick does not count.
How long can SSP be paid for?
Up to 28 weeks. Separate periods of sickness that are 8 weeks or less apart are linked and count as one period, so the 28 weeks can be used up across several shorter absences.
Does an employee need a fit note to get SSP?
Not for the first 7 days. Employees can self-certify for up to 7 calendar days, and the employer can then ask for a fit note. Fit notes can be issued by a GP or hospital doctor, a registered nurse, an occupational therapist, a pharmacist or a physiotherapist. An employer should not withhold SSP just because a fit note is late if there is a good reason for the delay.
Can an employer pay more than SSP?
Yes. Many employers have a company sick pay scheme, for example full pay for a number of weeks and then half pay. Whatever the scheme, the employee must receive at least what SSP would have paid for each day.
Can employers claim SSP back from the government?
No. There is currently no general scheme for employers to recover SSP. Statutory family pay is different: employers can usually reclaim most of it.
Is SSP taxable?
Yes. SSP is paid through payroll like normal wages, with Income Tax and National Insurance deducted.
What happens when SSP ends?
The employer should give the employee form SSP1, which explains why SSP has stopped. The employee may then be able to claim Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance. If the sickness is long term, the employer should also talk to them about a return to work and consider whether reasonable adjustments are needed, especially if the condition may be a disability.
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