You can get £96.35 per week Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ) if you’re too ill to work. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . You must be eligible for SSP . You cannot get less than the statutory amount. You can get more if your company has a sick pay scheme (or ‘occupational scheme’) - check your employment contract. There are different sick pay rules for agricultural workers . There’s a separate guide on Statutory Sick Pay if you’re an employer . If you cannot work because of coronavirus (COVID-19) You could get SSP if you’re self-isolating because: you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus you’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve been in contact with someone with coronavirus someone in your support bubble (or your ‘extended household’ if you live in Scotland or Wales) has coronavirus symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus you’ve been advised by a doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery You cannot get SSP if you’re self-isolating after entering or returning to the UK and do not need to self-isolate for any other reason. You can also get SSP if you’ve been advised to shield in Scotland because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus. Shielding has stopped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You could get SSP for every day you’re off work. If your illness is not related to coronavirus If your illness is not related to coronavirus, you can get SSP from the fourth day you are off work sick.

You can get £96.35 a week Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ) for up to 28 weeks. If you’re off work because of coronavirus (COVID-19) How many days you can get SSP for depends on why you’re off work. If you have a letter saying you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus If you have a letter advising you to ‘shield’ because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus, you can get SSP for the period specific in the letter. The letter will usually be from your doctor or a health authority (for example, the Department of Health and Social Care). It might also come from the government. You can be paid SSP for more than one period of shielding if you get another letter. If you’re self-isolating because you or someone you live with has symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus You must self-isolate for at least 4 days to be eligible for SSP . You can get SSP for every day you were self-isolating if you started on or after 13 March. If you started self-isolating before 13 March, you can get SSP from: the fourth day you were sick - if you had coronavirus symptoms 13 March - if you were self-isolating because someone you live with had symptoms Check you’re eligible for SSP . If you’re self-isolating because of contact with someone with coronavirus You should self-isolate if you’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus. You must self-isolate for at least 4 days to be eligible for SSP . You can get SSP for every day you were self-isolating from 28 May. If you’re self-isolating because someone in your ‘support bubble’ or extended household has symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus You should self-isolate if someone in your ‘support bubble’ (or your ‘extended household’ if you live in Scotland or Wales) has symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus. You must self-isolate for at least 4 days to be eligible for SSP . You can get SSP for every day you were self-isolating from 6 July. You are not eligible for SSP for any days away from work before 6 July. If you’re self-isolating before surgery If you’ve been advised by your doctor or a healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery, you can get SSP . You must self-isolate for at least 4 days (including non-working days) to be eligible for SSP . You can get SSP for every day you are self-isolating. You are not eligible for SSP for any day you were self-isolating before 26 August. If you’re off sick for another reason You can get SSP from the fourth day you’re off sick. The days you’re off sick when you normally would have worked are called ‘qualifying days’. If you’re eligible, you’ll get SSP for all your qualifying days, except for the first 3. These are called ‘waiting days’. You only get paid for waiting days if you’ve already received SSP within the last 8 weeks, and that included a 3-day waiting period. Check you’re eligible for SSP . How you’re paid SSP is paid by your employer in the same way as your normal wages, for example weekly or monthly. If you have more than one job you may get SSP from each employer. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted. If you think you are not getting the right amount of SSP , talk to your employer. If you’re still not happy, contact the HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) enquiry line .

To qualify for Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ) you must: be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer earn an average of at least £120 per week have been ill, self-isolating or ‘shielding’ for at least 4 days in a row (including non-working days) You can only get SSP for shielding if you live in Scotland. Shielding has stopped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. How many days you can get SSP for depends on why you’re off work. Agency workers are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Telling your employer You must usually tell your employer you’re unable to work before the deadline they set (or within 7 days if they have not set one). You could lose some of your SSP if you do not tell your employer in time. Exceptions You will not qualify if you: have received the maximum amount of SSP (28 weeks) are getting Statutory Maternity Pay are self-isolating after entering or returning to the UK and do not need to self-isolate for any other reason You can still qualify if you started your job recently and you have not received 8 weeks’ pay yet. Ask your employer to find out more. You can still qualify if you’re on furlough. Linked periods of sickness If you have regular periods of sickness, they may count as ‘linked’. To be linked, the periods must: last 4 or more days each be 8 weeks or less apart You’re no longer eligible for SSP if you have a continuous series of linked periods that lasts more than 3 years. Fit notes and asking for proof You only have to give your employer a fit note (sometimes called a sick note) if you’re off sick for more than 7 days in a row (including non-working days). You can get a fit note from your doctor or hospital doctor. If your employer agrees, a similar document can be provided by a physiotherapist, podiatrist or occupational therapist instead. This is called an Allied Health Professional ( AHP ) Health and Work Report. Proof if you’re self-isolating because of coronavirus (COVID-19) If you’re self-isolating and cannot work because of coronavirus, you can get an ‘isolation note’ online from NHS 111 if you’re off work for 7 or more days. You do not have to go to your doctor or a hospital. If you’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus, your notification is proof. If you’ve been advised by your doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery, your letter confirming the date of your procedure is proof. You cannot get SSP if you’re self-isolating after entering or returning to the UK and do not need to self-isolate for any other reason. Proof if you’re ‘shielding’ because of coronavirus You can only get SSP for shielding if you live in Scotland. Shielding has stopped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus, you should get a letter from your doctor, your health authority or the government. Contact your doctor if you do not have a letter and think you should have one. The letter will include the period you should shield for. It is proof of your eligibility for SSP for days away from work in that period. You may get more than one letter covering more than one shielding period. If you work, but do not live, in an area with local restrictions that include advice to shield, you can apply for a ‘shielding note’ if all of the following are true: you’ve previously been advised to shield because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus you cannot work from home or anywhere else outside that area you live in England Your shielding note will be valid for 3 weeks from the date you apply as long as there are local restrictions that include advice to shield in the place where you work. If the note expires and you still need to shield, you’ll need to apply for another note. If you’re not eligible or your SSP ends You may be able to apply for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) . You can use form SSP1 to support your application. If your SSP is ending your employer must send you form SSP1 either: within 7 days of your SSP ending, if it ends unexpectedly while you’re still sick on or before the beginning of the 23rd week, if your SSP is expected to end before your sickness does If you do not qualify for SSP your employer must send you form SSP1 within 7 days of you going off sick.

To claim Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP ), tell your employer by the deadline . Check with your employer how you should tell them. If you cannot work for 7 or more days (including non-working days) you need: an ‘isolation note’ if you’re unable to work because of coronavirus (COVID-19) a letter or ‘shielding note’ from your doctor, a health authority or the government advising you to shield because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus your notification from the NHS or public health authorities if you’ve been told to self-isolate because you’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus a ‘ fit note ’ (or sick note) if you’re off sick for another reason a letter confirming the date of your procedure if you’ve been advised to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery You can only get SSP for shielding if you live in Scotland. Shielding has stopped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you’re unhappy with a decision Talk to your employer if you think: their decision not to pay you SSP is wrong you’re not getting the right amount of SSP You can ask them for a reason. If this does not sort the problem, contact the HMRC Statutory Payment Disputes Team .

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

Overview

You can get £96.35 per week Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you’re too ill to work. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You must be eligible for SSP.

You cannot get less than the statutory amount. You can get more if your company has a sick pay scheme (or ‘occupational scheme’) - check your employment contract.

There are different sick pay rules for agricultural workers.

There’s a separate guide on Statutory Sick Pay if you’re an employer.

If you cannot work because of coronavirus (COVID-19)

You could get SSP if you’re self-isolating because:

you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus
you’ve been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that you’ve been in contact with someone with coronavirus
someone in your support bubble (or your ‘extended household’ if you live in Scotland or Wales) has coronavirus symptoms or has tested positive for coronavirus
you’ve been advised by a doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery

You cannot get SSP if you’re self-isolating after entering or returning to the UK and do not need to self-isolate for any other reason.

You can also get SSP if you’ve been advised to shield in Scotland because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus. Shielding has stopped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You could get SSP for every day you’re off work.

If your illness is not related to coronavirus, you can get SSP from the fourth day you are off work sick.

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