Statutory Sick Pay 2026: Day-One Rules and Daily Rates Explained
Quick answer: Statutory Sick Pay 2026 is the lower of £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks. Since 6 April 2026 there are no unpaid waiting days and no minimum earnings test, so most employees are paid from their first full working day off sick.
Key takeaways
From 6 April 2026, the flat weekly rate of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £123.25, up from £118.75 in 2025/26.
SSP now starts on the first qualifying day of sickness because the three unpaid waiting days were abolished by the Employment Rights Act 2025.
Low earners receive 80% of their average weekly earnings if that figure is below £123.25, and the old Lower Earnings Limit no longer blocks anyone from qualifying.
Your daily SSP depends on how many days you normally work each week, so a five-day worker on the flat rate gets £24.65 per sick day.
You must tell your employer you are ill by their deadline, or within 7 days if they have not set one, and a fit note is only needed if you are off for more than 7 days in a row.
Last updated: 8 October 2026
Statutory sick pay 2026 works very differently from the system most UK workers grew up with. If you catch one of this autumn's bugs and miss a shift, you no longer lose the first three days of pay, and you no longer need to earn a minimum amount to qualify. This guide sets out what you are owed, how the daily figure is worked out and what to do on the morning you wake up too ill to work.
Statutory sick pay 2026: how much do you get?
For the 2026/27 tax year, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. GOV.UK confirms that your employer pays it for a maximum of 28 weeks, in the same way as your wages, with Income Tax and National Insurance taken off.
Payroll provider Cintra notes that the flat figure rose from £118.75 in 2025/26. The bigger change is the second test: SSP is no longer a single rate for everyone. Those earning more than about £154 a week will usually hit the £123.25 cap, while people on smaller pay packets receive four-fifths of what they normally earn.
Flat weekly cap: £123.25
Earnings-linked alternative: 80% of average weekly earnings
Which applies: whichever of the two is lower
Maximum length: 28 weeks
Tax: Income Tax and National Insurance are deducted
Your employer can pay you more through a company (occupational) sick pay scheme, but never less than the statutory amount.
What changed for SSP on 6 April 2026?
Three rules changed on 6 April 2026 under the Employment Rights Act 2025: waiting days disappeared, the earnings floor was removed and a new calculation was added for low earners. Together they turn SSP into a day-one right for almost every employee.
No more waiting days. Before the reform, payroll and HR firm THP explains, SSP usually began on the fourth qualifying day, leaving the first three unpaid. It is now payable from the first qualifying day.
No Lower Earnings Limit. Workers previously had to earn roughly £123 to £125 a week to qualify. That threshold has gone, bringing many part-time, casual and multi-job workers into the system.
The 80% calculation. Because a flat £123.25 could exceed the wages of very low earners, they now receive 80% of their average weekly earnings instead.
Some protections did not move. SSP still lasts up to 28 weeks, it is still only paid for days you would normally have worked, and employers can still ask for a fit note if you are off for more than seven days.
What is the SSP daily rate in 2026?
The daily rate is the weekly amount divided by the number of days you usually work. Those days are called “qualifying days”, so a worker on a four-day pattern gets a bigger daily slice than someone on five days.
Cintra publishes these unrounded daily rates for anyone receiving the full £123.25 cap:
7 qualifying days a week: £17.6071 a day
6 qualifying days a week: £20.5416 a day
5 qualifying days a week: £24.65 a day
4 qualifying days a week: £30.8125 a day
3 qualifying days a week: £41.0833 a day
2 qualifying days a week: £61.625 a day
1 qualifying day a week: £123.25 a day
If you are on the 80% calculation, your daily figure is lower, because the weekly amount being divided is smaller. GOV.UK points employers to its official SSP calculator to work out exact daily amounts.
Do you get statutory sick pay for one day off?
Yes. Since the waiting days were scrapped, a single full working day off sick can be paid. GOV.UK says SSP is due when someone is sick for at least one full working day.
There is a catch that trips people up. According to the GOV.UK employer guide, a day does not count as a sick day if you worked for a minute or more before going home ill. Night-shift workers should also note that if a shift runs past midnight and you fall ill during it or after it ends, you are not eligible for SSP for that shift.
Who qualifies for SSP in 2026?
Under the statutory sick pay 2026 rules, you qualify if you have an employment contract, have done some work under it, are ill for at least one full working day and give notice and proof of illness when needed.
You will not get SSP in several situations, including if:
you have already received the maximum 28 weeks
you are getting Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance
you were held in custody, or taking part in a strike, when the sickness began
you received Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) within 12 weeks of starting or returning to work for that employer
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) adds that a probation period does not affect your right to SSP, and that both physical and mental health problems can count as sickness. GOV.UK also says you can qualify for SSP from more than one job.
Does this apply in Northern Ireland?
The rates and rules above are based on GOV.UK guidance and the payroll and Acas sources listed below. Northern Ireland has its own SSP guidance on nidirect, the official government website for Northern Ireland, which refers employment-rights questions to the Labour Relations Agency. Workers in Northern Ireland can also check nidirect, which links to the same GOV.UK SSP guidance.
How do you claim statutory sick pay?
You claim SSP by telling your employer you are ill before the deadline they set, or within seven days if they have not set one.
Check your contract or sickness policy for the reporting deadline and who to contact.
Report the absence as early as you can, ideally on your first morning off. GOV.UK says employers cannot insist you report in person or on a special form.
Get a fit note if you are off for more than seven days in a row, counting non-working days. GPs, hospital doctors, registered nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists can issue one.
Check your payslip on the next payday. SSP arrives through normal payroll.
Challenge errors with your employer first. If you are told you do not qualify, form SSP1 explains how to appeal to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Report late without a good reason and your employer does not have to pay SSP for the days you were late. Sending a fit note late is different: employers cannot hold back SSP for that.
Common SSP mistakes to avoid
Most lost sick pay comes from avoidable slip-ups rather than disputes over the law.
Assuming the old three-day rule still applies. Contracts that still mention waiting days are out of date.
Working a few minutes before going home. That day will not count as a full sick day.
Missing the reporting deadline. Days you were late in telling your employer can go unpaid.
Ignoring form SSP1. If you do not qualify, or your SSP is ending, your employer must give you form SSP1, which supports a claim for Universal Credit or ESA.
Thinking work-related illness pays more. Acas says the same sick pay rules apply unless your contract or sickness policy says otherwise.
What this means for you
The statutory sick pay 2026 reforms matter most if you are a part-time, low-paid or multi-job worker who never qualified before, you now have a legal right to some sick pay from the first full day you are off. Workers who already qualified are now paid for up to three more days in each spell of sickness, so short absences of one to three days now count. Check your contract for any better company scheme, keep a record of when you reported sickness, and use the daily rates above to sanity-check your next payslip.
For more on recent changes to your rights at work, read our guides Employment Tribunal Time Limits: The New 6-Month Rule Explained, Right to Work Checks October 2026: New UK Rules and National Living Wage 2027 Forecast on Jobsiz.
Frequently asked questions
Is statutory sick pay paid from day one in 2026?
Yes. Since 6 April 2026, SSP has been payable from the first qualifying day of sickness. The three unpaid waiting days that used to apply were abolished by the Employment Rights Act 2025.
How much is SSP per week in 2026/27?
The flat rate is £123.25 a week. If 80% of your average weekly earnings is lower than that, you receive the 80% figure instead. It is paid for up to 28 weeks.
What is the SSP daily rate for a five-day week?
On the full rate, a worker with five qualifying days a week gets £24.65 per sick day. People on the 80% calculation receive a lower daily amount, because their weekly figure is smaller.
Can I get SSP if I earn less than £125 a week?
Yes. The Lower Earnings Limit was removed from 6 April 2026, so low earners can now qualify. They are usually paid 80% of their average weekly earnings rather than the flat rate.
When do I need a fit note for sick pay?
Only when you are off for more than seven days in a row, including days you would not normally work. For shorter absences, follow your employer's reporting rules instead. Employers cannot withhold SSP because a fit note arrives late.
Do I get SSP during my probation period?
Yes. Acas says probation does not affect your eligibility for Statutory Sick Pay. You must receive whatever SSP you are entitled to, even in your first weeks.
What happens when my SSP runs out?
Your employer must send you form SSP1, on or before the beginning of the 23rd week if your SSP is expected to end before your illness does, or within 7 days if it ends unexpectedly. You can use it to support a claim for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.
Sources
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 8 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.