Navigating Finances Off Work Sick: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Your Rights

If you are too ill or injured to carry out your employment responsibilities, you have a legal right to a basic financial safety net known as **Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)**. SSP is the legal minimum amount your employer must pay you when you are off work sick.

Many employers offer enhanced company sick pay schemes (often called contractual sick pay) that match your full regular wage for a set number of weeks. Check your employment contract or workplace handbook first; if your employer does not offer a company scheme, they must pay you the legal baseline of SSP provided you meet the qualifying rules.

To legally qualify for Statutory Sick Pay from your employer, you must meet all the following conditions:

• You must be classed as an employee or worker (including agency workers, zero-hours contract workers, and fixed-term staff).
• You must have been off work sick for **at least 4 consecutive days** (including non-working days like weekends).
• You must earn an average of at least **£123 per week** (before tax) across your regular pay periods.
• You must notify your employer within their specified reporting deadline, or within 7 days if they do not have a set workplace rule.

The standard legal rate for Statutory Sick Pay is **£116.75 per week**. This rate is paid by your employer in the exact same manner as your regular wages, with standard tax and National Insurance contributions deducted.

SSP does not start on your very first day of illness. It is paid from the **fourth qualifying day** of sickness. The first three days you miss work are called **Waiting Days**, and you are not paid for them unless your contract states otherwise. However, if you are off sick again within 8 weeks of returning to work for the same or a linked condition, you do not have to serve the waiting days a second time; the pay kicks in from day one.

For the first 7 consecutive days of sickness, you do not need medical proof; you can **self-certify** by completing a simple form provided by your employer. If you are off sick for more than 7 days, your employer can request a formal **Fit Note** (previously called a sick note) from an eligible healthcare professional, such as your GP, hospital doctor, or a registered physiotherapist.

Statutory Sick Pay can only be paid for a maximum of **28 weeks**. If your illness forces you to remain off work beyond 28 weeks, or if you do not qualify for SSP in the first place, your employer must issue you an **SSP1 form**. You can use this form to apply directly for alternative state support, such as New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit to help replace your income.