Statutory Sick Pay Calculator

Calculate your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) entitlement for 2026/27. Shows waiting days, qualifying days, daily rate and income lost compared to normal pay.

Last updated: April 2026

Your sick leave details
Must be at least £123/week (Lower Earnings Limit 2026/27) to qualify for SSP.
SSP is paid from day 4 of illness. Days 1–3 are waiting days (unpaid).
Some employers pay full or partial salary during sickness. Enter daily rate if applicable.
Sick pay summary
Total sick pay
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Waiting days (abolished April 2026) -
SSP qualifying days -
Daily SSP rate -
Income lost vs normal pay -
Maximum SSP period -

How Statutory Sick Pay works

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid by employers to employees who are too ill to work. In 2026/27, the rate is £123.25 per week (or 80% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower). SSP is paid for qualifying days - normally the days you are contracted to work. From 6 April 2026, the three waiting days have been abolished under the Employment Rights Act 2025, so SSP is now paid from the first qualifying day onward, for up to 28 weeks.

Qualifying conditions

To qualify for SSP you must: be classed as an employee (not self-employed); have been sick for at least 1 day (from 6 April 2026, the Lower Earnings Limit has been removed so all employees qualify regardless of earnings); and notify your employer within their required timescale (usually by their first working day of absence). You do not need a doctor's note for the first 7 days - a self-certification form is sufficient. After 7 days, your employer can request medical evidence.

When SSP ends

SSP stops after 28 weeks, when you return to work, or when you reach State Pension age. After SSP ends, you may be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or, if you are on Universal Credit, the limited capability for work element. Many employers have their own enhanced sick pay schemes that exceed the statutory minimum - check your employment contract. If you are self-employed, SSP does not apply; you may be eligible for new-style ESA or the self-employed sick element of Universal Credit.

Frequently asked questions

No. SSP is the legal minimum that all qualifying employees are entitled to. Employers cannot pay less than SSP during a qualifying period of sickness. However, many employers pay more - full pay or partial pay for a defined period, then SSP. If your employer fails to pay SSP when you are entitled to it, you can ask HMRC to make a formal determination, and ultimately recover the money through an employment tribunal.
Holiday continues to accrue during SSP. You can use accrued annual leave at any point during or after sick leave, and any unused leave carries over if you cannot take it due to illness. Pension contributions during SSP are more complex - your employer's contribution obligation depends on the scheme rules, but employee contributions are typically based on actual pay received (i.e. SSP level). Check your pension scheme rules or speak to HR for the specific position.
Periods of sickness separated by 56 days (8 weeks) or less are counted as linked periods and treated as one continuous period for SSP purposes. The 28-week maximum runs across all linked periods combined. From April 2026, waiting days no longer apply, so SSP begins from the first qualifying day of each new linked period.

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