Statutory Sick Pay in 2026: paid from day one, and no earnings limit
5 minute read · 2026-10-08
From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid from your first day of sickness absence, and anyone who is an employee can get it however little they earn. The rate is £123.25 a week or 80% of your normal weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks. These changes came from the Employment Rights Act 2025 and apply in England, Scotland and Wales.
What changed in April 2026
| Before 6 April 2026 | From 6 April 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| When SSP starts | Day four (three unpaid "waiting days") | Day one |
| Earnings test | Had to earn at least the lower earnings limit (£125 a week in 2025 to 2026) | None |
| Weekly rate | £118.75 flat rate | £123.25 or 80% of normal weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
Who gets it
According to GOV.UK, you can get SSP if you are classed as an employee, have done some work for your employer, and have been ill for at least one full working day. Agency workers who are employees of the agency or an umbrella company count. Genuinely self employed people do not, though they may be able to claim benefits instead.
How much, with examples
Your employer works out your normal weekly earnings over an 8 week period, then pays the lower of £123.25 or 80% of that.
- Say a cleaner works 8 hours a week at £12.71: about £101.68 a week. 80% is about £81.34, so that is the SSP rate. Before April 2026 they would have got nothing.
- Say a warehouse operative works 37.5 hours at £12.71: £476.63 a week. 80% is £381.30, which is more than £123.25, so the SSP rate is £123.25.
SSP is paid for the days you would normally have worked, so the weekly rate is divided by your number of working days in the week. It goes through payroll and is taxed like the rest of your pay.
Company sick pay
Many employers pay more than SSP, for example full pay for a set number of weeks. That is a contract term. If your contract promises company sick pay, you get whichever is higher; you cannot be paid less than SSP.
What you need to do
- Tell your employer you are ill by their deadline, or within 7 days if they have not set one.
- For the first 7 days, your own word is normally enough (self certification). After that, your employer can ask for a fit note from a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other healthcare professional.
- Keep copies of what you sent and when.
If you work through us, our self certification form is the one to use.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its own sick pay legislation and the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes above do not automatically apply there. Check nidirect for the current rules.
If you are not paid
Ask your employer in writing why. If they say you are not entitled, you can ask for form SSP1, which sets out the reason. HMRC's statutory payments dispute team can make a formal decision if you disagree. The new Fair Work Agency, which launched in April 2026, is due to take on enforcement of SSP as its powers are phased in.
What to do next
Check your contract for company sick pay, and your payslip for an SSP line after any sickness. The basics on holiday and sick pay together are in holiday and sick pay.
This is general information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ACAS (0300 123 1100) is free.
Found it useful? Press the button, or send it to somebody it would help.
