Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator
Estimate your weekly and total Statutory Sick Pay under the rules in force from 6 April 2026.
Paid from day 1, no lower earnings limit (rules from 6 April 2026); employers may pay more under occupational schemes.
How the SSP calculation works
Weekly SSP is the lower of £123.25 and 80% of average weekly earnings, payable for up to 28 weeks.
The 2026/27 rules pay SSP from day one and remove the lower earnings limit.
2026/27 SSP rules
- Weekly SSP = min(£123.25, 80% × average weekly earnings)
- Payable weeks = min(weeks off sick, 28)
- Total SSP = weekly SSP × payable weeks
Frequently asked questions
When does SSP start in 2026/27?
For eligible absences under the new rules, SSP is paid from day one from 6 April 2026.
Is there a lower earnings limit?
No lower earnings limit applies under the rules from 6 April 2026.
Can my employer pay more?
Yes. An occupational sick pay scheme may pay more than statutory SSP.
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 — the same two illnesses last year would have paid £140.86 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.
Written & fact-checked by Łukasz Wójcik — independent developer, not a licensed financial adviser. Last reviewed: 2026-08-17.
Methodology & assumptions
This estimate is based on the current statutory rates, caps and eligibility rules for this benefit — it is simplified and does not replace an individual eligibility check, which depends on your exact circumstances and employment history.
Scope & limitations
This calculator is a free, general-purpose estimation tool. It uses simplified assumptions, does not know your full personal or financial circumstances, and is not a substitute for professional financial, tax or legal advice. Figures can change after publication — always check the current rate or threshold at the source below before relying on a result.
Where to check this yourself
Every rate, threshold and rule used above comes from the bodies below. They are the authority; this page is not. Where a figure here disagrees with a source, the source is right — and we would be grateful if you told us. Links go to official government bodies and to registered charities that give free, impartial guidance; none of them pays us and we take no commission.