Quick answer: There’s no legal number of sick days in the UK, but employees who are off sick can get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for up to 28 weeks. From 6 April 2026, SSP is paid from the first qualifying day of sickness and there’s no minimum earnings requirement. For 2026/27, it’s the lower of £123.25 a week or 80% of average weekly earnings. You can self-certify for up to seven days, after which you’ll need a fit note.
Last updated: October 2026
We all get sick sometimes, and that’s exactly why sick leave exists.
It’s important to know your rights when it comes to sick leave: how to request it, what pay you’re entitled to if you suddenly fall ill, and how sick leave is usually managed through payroll software.
One big thing changed on 6 April 2026. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is now payable from the first qualifying day of sickness, and you no longer need to earn a minimum amount to qualify.
To make things easier for you, here’s how sick leave works under UK statutory rules.
What is statutory sick leave in the UK?
In the UK, employees have the right to time off work when they’re ill. There’s no set number of statutory sick days, though. Some organisations include paid or unpaid sick days in your contract, so it’s worth checking yours.
What is long-term sick leave in the UK?
Long-term sick leave usually means being off work because of illness for more than four weeks in a row.
If that’s you, you could be entitled to SSP for up to 28 weeks, and some employers offer extra sick pay through their own policies.
You’ll usually need a fit note to confirm your condition. If you’re off for a long time, you and your employer might talk about a phased return to work or reasonable adjustments to help you get back. This works best when you both keep in regular contact, so there are no surprises on either side.
Fit notes
If you’re going to be off ill for more than 7 days, then you’ll need to give your employer proof of sickness or a fit note. Your 7 days will include any non-working days such as weekends or bank holidays.
Your sick note will read either ‘not fit for work’ or ‘may be fit for work.’
If it says you “may be fit for work”, you’ll need to talk to your employer about whether any changes could help you return (like adjusting your duties or working from home). If you can’t agree on a solution, your employer has to treat you as “not fit for work”.
You can get a fit note from any of these healthcare professionals:
- GP or hospital doctor
- Registered nurse
- Occupational therapist
- Pharmacist
- Physiotherapist
Allied Health Professional health and work report
Your employer might accept a document called an Allied Health Professional (AHP) health and work report instead of a fit note when you’re taking sick leave. Just be aware that you can’t use this report to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Any of these professionals can provide one:
- Art therapist
- Dramatherapist
- Chiropodist
- Dietitian
- Music therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Operating department practitioner
- Orthoptist
- Osteopath
- Orthotist
- Paramedic
- Physiotherapist
- Podiatrist
- Prosthetist
- Radiographer
- Speech and language therapist
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Statutory sick pay
From 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first qualifying day you’re off sick. The three unpaid waiting days have gone, and so has the lower earnings limit, so you no longer need to earn a minimum amount to qualify.
You can get SSP as long as:
- you’re classed as an employee of the business
- you’ve started work under your contract
- you’re off work because of illness for at least one qualifying day (a day you’d normally work)
- you follow your employer’s rules for reporting sickness and providing evidence
Your employer pays SSP for up to 28 weeks, and tax and National Insurance are still deducted. After seven days off, your employer can ask for a note from a healthcare professional confirming you can’t work.
Your contract may offer more than SSP through a company sick pay scheme, but your employer can never pay less than the statutory amount. A lot of employers top up SSP for at least part of an absence, so it’s worth checking your contract or handbook.
The SSP rates
SSP rates are usually updated each April, so it’s always worth checking the current rates on GOV.UK.
For 2026/27, SSP is the lower of:
- £123.25 a week
- 80% of your average weekly earnings
That means if you earn less than about £154 a week on average, your SSP will be below the flat rate.
Here are the 2026/27 daily rates where the flat rate of £123.25 applies:
| Qualifying days in a week | Unrounded daily rate |
|---|---|
| 7 | £17.6071 |
| 6 | £20.5416 |
| 5 | £24.65 |
| 4 | £30.8125 |
| 3 | £41.0833 |
| 2 | £61.625 |
| 1 | £123.25 |
Worked example for payroll teams
These are illustrative figures, not a real customer case.
| Employee | Average weekly earnings | 80% of earnings | Weekly SSP (lower figure) | Daily rate (5 qualifying days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | £120.00 | £96.00 | £96.00 | £19.20 |
| B | £500.00 | £400.00 | £123.25 | £24.65 |
How to make a request for sick leave
If you need to take sick leave, let your employer know as soon as you can, ideally before your usual start time.
Every workplace has its own rules, so check your contract or staff handbook to see how they’d like you to report it. If you’re off for seven days or fewer, you can usually self-certify (that just means explaining why you were off when you return).
If you’re off for longer, you’ll need a fit note from a healthcare professional.
Still have questions about sick leave?
If you’d like to know more about sick leave and sick pay, our experienced HR consultants are always happy to help. And if you’re managing absence for a team, Cintra’s absence management software gives you the tools to handle every type of employee leave and stay on top of the SSP rules.
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Frequently asked questions
Q. Can you go on holiday whilst on sick leave?
A. Yes, you can go on holiday whilst you’re on long-term sick leave, but you’ll need to tell your employer so they can adjust your pay. You don’t have to class this time as holiday, so the choice is yours. What you can’t do is take time off as sick leave specifically to go on holiday.
Q. Can I leave the house when off work sick?
A. Of course. There’s no rule that says you have to stay at home just because you’re off sick. Life goes on, and sometimes things need doing.
It’s worth thinking about what’s reasonable, though. If you’re off with a sickness bug, a trip to the pub probably isn’t a great idea and could lead to an awkward conversation when you’re back. But if you’re off for stress or mental health reasons, carrying on with normal activities, like going out, seeing friends and family, or shopping, is completely acceptable.
Q. How many days of sick leave am I entitled to each year?
A. There’s no legal number of sick days in the UK. Employers can set their own, but they must tell employees what they are.
Q. Can you be made redundant while on sick leave?
A. Yes, but you can’t be made redundant because you’re sick. Redundancy decisions must be based on the needs of the business. If your employer plans to make your role redundant while you’re on sick leave, they still need to follow the usual redundancy process, including consultation.
Q. Can you be fired whilst on long-term sick leave?
A. The short answer is yes, but only under certain conditions. As a last resort, an employer can dismiss an employee on long-term sick leave if there’s no realistic prospect of them returning to work. Before that, they must consider whether changes could help, such as working part time or flexibly, or moving to a different role. They also need to consult the employee about whether they can return and whether their health is likely to improve.
Q. Do employees accrue holiday on sick leave?
A. Yes. Employees in the UK keep building up their statutory holiday entitlement while on sick leave, however long they’re off. If illness means they can’t use their holiday, they can carry it over into the next leave year. And if an employee falls sick before or during their holiday, they can take it as sick leave instead and get those holiday days back.
