Statutory sick pay, sickness and fit notes

Updated February 2024:

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid to employees or workers (who pay Class 1 National Insurance Contributions) who cannot work because of sickness. We examine the details here.

Those who are self-employed (and pay Class 2 National Insurance Contributions) have no entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay, but may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance.

SSP is not paid for the first 3 days of your sickness (these are called ‘Waiting Days’), but after that you are paid SSP for the days that you normally work. From 6th April 2024 SSP will increase from £109.40 per week, to £116.75 per week.

If your employer does not pay you SSP or you believe they are paying you an incorrect amount, and if you cannot sort this out with your employer, you can contact your local HM Revenue and Customs office who will help – details are here – you may also be able to make a claim for an ‘unlawful deduction of wages‘ through an Employment Tribunal.

Fit Notes

Introduced in April 2010, there have been two changes to how fit notes work made in 2022.

From 6th April 2022 fit notes are now allowed to be signed and issued digitally – they do not have to be physically signed any more – although individuals are still required to see their doctor to obtain one (either virtually or physically).

And from 1st July 2022, other professionals besides Doctors (GP’s and Hospital Doctors) can now issue fit notes.  These professionals include nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists, who can issue fit notes following an ‘assessment’ (they cannot be issued on request or ‘over the counter’).