Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
Also known as: SSP, UK sick pay, Statutory sick pay UK
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the UK's legally mandated minimum sick pay — £123.25 per week or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (the 2026-27 rate, as of September 2026), paid by the employer from the first full day of sickness absence. SSP can be paid for up to 28 weeks for any one period of sickness. Many employers offer "company sick pay" on top of SSP as a competitive benefit.
SSP is the floor — the minimum legal sick pay UK employers must provide. Above it, contractual or "company" sick pay schemes typically pay full salary for an initial period (e.g., 4-6 weeks) then taper. Since 6 April 2026, SSP applies to all eligible employees whatever they earn, including part-time and zero-hours staff: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the Lower Earnings Limit and the 3 unpaid "waiting days", so SSP is now payable from the first full day off sick. Self-employed workers are not eligible for SSP.
Who qualifies for SSP
- Be classed as an employee (not self-employed)
- Have done some work for the employer
- Be ill for at least one full working day
- Provide notice and any required medical evidence
- No minimum earnings: the Lower Earnings Limit no longer applies (since 6 April 2026)
Key mechanics
- No waiting days since 6 April 2026: SSP is payable from the first full day of sickness absence
- Up to 28 weeks per period of sickness
- Spells of sickness 8 weeks or less apart are "linked" and count together toward the 28 weeks
- Self-certification for first 7 days; doctor's "fit note" required from day 8
- Employer can't recover SSP from HMRC (since 2014, except under the rebated Coronavirus scheme)
Company sick pay on top of SSP
Most UK employers offer enhanced sick pay — typically full pay for a defined period (4 weeks to 6 months depending on length of service) before reverting to SSP-only. Enhanced schemes are contractual; the terms should be in the employment contract or handbook. Some industries (public sector, finance, professional services) pay full salary for 6 months. Others stick to SSP-only — common in retail, hospitality, and tightly margined sectors.