What is Statutory Sick Pay?

Statutory Sick Pay pays £116.75 per week (from April 2024) if you’re too ill to work at your job. It’s paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks.

Your employer may also run their own sick pay scheme - a 'company’ or occupational sick pay scheme. If you aren't entitled to anything under a company scheme, your employer should still pay you Statutory Sick Pay if you are eligible.

Can I get Statutory Sick Pay?

If you're working for an employer under a contract of service (even if you've only just started), you're entitled to Statutory Sick Pay if the following apply:

• you're sick for at least four days in a row (including weekends and bank holidays and days that you do not normally work)
• you're normally earning above the lower limit £123 a week (from April 2024)

Self employed people are not covered under this scheme but people on zero hours contracts could be if they normally earn above the lower earnings limit. If you're not sure if you normally earn above the limit, you should average your gross earnings (before tax and national insurance) over the period between your last normal payday before entitlement to SSP and the pay day at least eight weeks before it.

How do I claim Statutory Sick Pay?

Your employer will be able to tell you how to claim Statutory Sick Pay. They may run an occupational sick pay scheme that includes Statutory Sick Pay.

Statutory Sick Pay is usually paid in the same way as your wages from your employer and into your bank account. If your employer can't pay your Statutory Sick Pay they must give you a form SSP1 explaining why and you can then contact the Jobcentre Plus to ask about claiming Universal Credit.