Sick Pay Calculator
Work out your Statutory Sick Pay under the current rules — paid from day one, with no minimum-earnings threshold.
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How to use this calculator
This estimates Statutory Sick Pay only — not any extra contractual or enhanced sick pay your employer might offer on top.
Enter your average weekly earnings
Roughly what you earn per week before tax, averaged over the 8 weeks before you went off sick.
Enter your days off sick
The total number of days, including non-working days, that you’ve been unable to work.
See your SSP estimate
SSP is now paid from your very first day off sick — there’s no waiting period.
How SSP is worked out
The current rules
Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25 a week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings — whichever is lower. Your employer works out your average weekly earnings using an 8-week period before you went off sick. It’s paid for up to 28 weeks within a period of sickness (or a series of linked periods within 8 weeks of each other).
A major reform took effect from 6 April 2026: the old £125-a-week minimum-earnings threshold has been removed, so employees earning below that no longer miss out on SSP entirely — they now get 80% of their average weekly earnings instead. The old “3 waiting days” rule has also been abolished, so SSP is now payable from day one of sickness rather than starting on the fourth qualifying day.
Eligibility
Who qualifies
To qualify for SSP you need to: be classed as an employee, have done some work for your employer, and have been ill for at least one full working day. You must tell your employer you’re sick before their deadline (or within 7 days if they haven’t set one), and give a fit note if you’re off for more than 7 days in a row. You won’t qualify if you’ve already had the maximum 28 weeks of SSP, or if you’re currently getting Statutory Maternity Pay.
Tax and employers
Tax treatment and employer reclaims
SSP is treated like normal wages — Income Tax and National Insurance are deducted through your employer’s payroll as usual. Employers generally can’t reclaim SSP from HMRC (the temporary COVID-era rebate scheme ended in 2021 and hasn’t been reinstated) — it’s a cost they bear directly, which is worth knowing if you’re self-employed and wondering why there’s no equivalent for you.
Questions
Common questions
Do I need to earn a minimum amount to get SSP?
Not any more. Since 6 April 2026, the old £125-a-week Lower Earnings Limit has been removed. Everyone who meets the basic work and illness tests now qualifies, though lower earners get 80% of their average weekly earnings rather than the full flat rate.
Is there still a waiting period before SSP starts?
No. The old rule requiring three unpaid “waiting days” before SSP kicked in on the fourth day has been abolished. SSP is now paid from your first day of sickness.
What if I’m self-employed?
Statutory Sick Pay only applies to employees. If you’re self-employed, you won’t get SSP — you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit instead if you’re too ill to work.
Can my employer pay me more than SSP?
Yes, if they offer a contractual or occupational sick pay scheme on top of the statutory minimum. This calculator only estimates the statutory entitlement — check your contract or staff handbook for anything extra.
What happens after 28 weeks?
SSP stops once you’ve had 28 weeks of it within a period of sickness (or linked periods). After that, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit if you’re still unable to work.
Where these figures come from. Statutory Sick Pay rates, eligibility rules and the 2026 reform (removal of the earnings threshold and waiting days) are all taken from gov.uk, reflecting the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes in force from 6 April 2026. Figures checked on 25 September 2026.
Statutory Sick Pay (gov.uk) · SSP eligibility (gov.uk) · What you’ll get (gov.uk) · Maternity Pay Calculator
How we calculate · Editorial policy. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.