Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator

Statutory Sick Pay in 2026/27: the rules just changed

April 2026 brought the biggest reform of Statutory Sick Pay since its introduction. Two long-standing rules disappeared: the three waiting days (SSP is now paid from the first day of sickness) and the lower earnings limit (every PAYE employee now qualifies, however few hours they work). The calculator above applies the current formula: your weekly SSP is £123.25 or 80% of your average weekly earnings — whichever is lower — for up to 28 weeks of sickness.

The 80% rule exists to protect low earners without overpaying them: someone earning £120 a week now receives £96 in SSP (80%), where before April 2026 they received nothing at all because they fell under the earnings threshold.

Worked example

With average weekly earnings of £500, 80% would be £400, so the cap applies and you receive £123.25 a week — £246.50 for a two-week illness, from day one. With earnings of £120 a week, you receive 80% of your wage: £96 a week. Under the old rules the first three days paid nothing and the low earner was excluded entirely — with a Monday–Friday working pattern, the same two illnesses last year would have paid £166.25 (7 qualifying days at £118.75 ÷ 5) and £0.

What SSP does and doesn’t cover

• SSP is a legal minimum. Many employers pay full salary for a period under an occupational sick pay scheme — check your contract; the calculator shows the statutory floor.
• It runs for up to 28 weeks per period of sickness. After that, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit take over.
• It is paid through payroll and taxed like normal pay (tax and NI apply).
• The self-employed still get no SSP — the scheme covers employees only; sole traders need income protection or savings.
• Linked periods: illnesses of 4+ days separated by less than 8 weeks count as one period — they share the 28-week maximum.

Additional questions

Do I need a fit note (sick note)?

Not for the first 7 calendar days — you self-certify. From day 8 your employer can require a fit note from a GP, hospital doctor, or since recent reforms also a nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist or occupational therapist.

My employer says I’m not eligible — can that still happen?

Since 6 April 2026 the earnings test is gone, so the common historic reason no longer applies. You still need to be an employee (agency workers qualify too) and to actually be off sick. If SSP is refused, your employer must explain why on form SSP1; disputes go to HMRC’s statutory payments dispute team.

Is SSP different in Scotland or Wales?

No — SSP is a UK-wide scheme with identical rates everywhere, unlike income tax bands. The devolved nations differ on some benefits, but not this one.