How to claim SSP UK 2026/27

By PaySlipCheck · 14 June 2026 · 5 min read

Our guides are drafted with AI assistance and checked against official and primary sources before publishing. Figures are reviewed on the date shown. General information, not professional advice.

Claiming Statutory Sick Pay in the UK is normally automatic — you notify your employer within their reporting deadline, provide self-certification for days 1-7 + a fit note from day 8, and SSP is paid through payroll like normal salary. But specific rules govern notification deadlines, self-certification vs fit notes, eligibility rules + linked absence periods. If your employer refuses SSP unlawfully — or your eligibility is disputed — HMRC's Statutory Payments Disputes Team makes a binding ruling. This guide walks through the full claim process, the SSP1 escalation form + what to do if you're wrongly denied SSP or receive less than you should.

Checked against the 2 sources listed below · Last reviewed 27 October 2026
On this page
  1. Step 1 — Notify employer
  2. Step 2 — Self-certify days 1-7
  3. Step 3 — Fit note from day 8
  4. Step 4 — Employer pays SSP via payroll
  5. If employer refuses SSP
  6. SSP1 form
  7. Universal Credit interaction
  8. A worked example — Sarah, part-time shop assistant
  9. What SSP does not cover
  10. Employer contractual sick pay (in addition to SSP)
  11. In short

Step 1 — Notify employer

  • Notify within your employer's deadline (default: 7 days)
  • Follow employer's absence reporting procedure (call, email, portal)
  • Late notification may reduce SSP payable

Step 2 — Self-certify days 1-7

For sickness of 7 days or fewer, self-certification is sufficient. No fit note required.

Some employers provide their own self-certification form; others accept a written confirmation.

Step 3 — Fit note from day 8

For sickness beyond 7 days, obtain a fit note ('Statement of Fitness for Work') from: - GP - Hospital doctor - Registered nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist, or physiotherapist (since July 2022)

Give to employer promptly.

Step 4 — Employer pays SSP via payroll

  • SSP added to normal payslip
  • PAYE + NI + pension applied
  • From the first day of sickness: SSP (no waiting days from 6 April 2026)
  • After 7 days: SSP continues with fit note

If employer refuses SSP

Reasons employer can lawfully refuse: - You don't meet eligibility (employed <8 weeks) - Late notification (reduced but not zero SSP) - Received SSP already for 28 weeks in linked periods - Currently receiving Statutory Maternity/Paternity Pay

If refused unlawfully: 1. Ask employer for reason in writing (form SSP1) 2. Contact HMRC Statutory Payments Disputes Team 3. HMRC will investigate + rule 4. If HMRC agrees you should have SSP, employer must pay (or HMRC may pay directly)

SSP1 form

Employer must issue if refusing SSP or when your SSP ends. Enables you to claim ESA.

Universal Credit interaction

While receiving SSP, may still qualify for Universal Credit if low household income. SSP + UC combined.

A worked example — Sarah, part-time shop assistant

Sarah earns £280 a week (£14,560/year). From 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings threshold for SSP; her weekly SSP is the lower of £123.25 or 80% of her average weekly earnings (80% × £280 = £224), so she gets £123.25. She catches norovirus on a Sunday night and calls her employer on Monday morning to say she can't come in.

Day 1 (Monday) onwards — Monday is her first qualifying day. Before 6 April 2026 the first three qualifying days were unpaid waiting days; they were abolished from 6 April 2026, so SSP is payable from Monday. She self-certifies over the phone; her employer records the absence.

Her first week — SSP is £123.25 per week (2026/27 rate), pro-rated by qualifying day: £24.65 a day across her five working days. If she's off Monday to Friday, she gets the full £123.25 gross that week, taxed at her normal PAYE rate.

Day 8 — if Sarah is still off on day 8, she needs a fit note from her GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, pharmacist or registered nurse. Since 2022 any of these can issue a fit note; it doesn't have to be a GP. She can self-certify only for the first 7 days.

If Sarah returns after two weeks — her employer pays SSP as part of her normal payslip. It shows as a separate line ("SSP" or "Statutory Sick Pay"), it's subject to PAYE and Class 1 NI in the same way as normal wages, and any pension contribution taken as a percentage of pay is calculated on the SSP portion too.

What SSP does not cover

  • Before 6 April 2026 only: the three waiting days at the start of each Period of Incapacity for Work (PIW). Waiting days were abolished from 6 April 2026
  • Days you were not scheduled to work anyway (rest days, days off in your rota)
  • Time when you're receiving Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Shared Parental Pay or Adoption Pay
  • Before 6 April 2026 only: anyone earning below the Lower Earnings Limit (£125/week in 2025/26). From 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings requirement

Employer contractual sick pay (in addition to SSP)

Many UK employers pay more than the statutory minimum — often full pay for a defined period, then half pay, then SSP-only. Check your employment contract or staff handbook: if you have contractual sick pay it usually supersedes SSP (SSP is included within the enhanced figure rather than added on top). SSP is the legal floor; contractual can be more generous but never less.

In short

Claim SSP by notifying employer + fit note from day 8. Dispute via HMRC SSP1. UC available if household income low.

Frequently asked questions

How quickly do I need to tell my employer I'm sick?

Within employer's deadline (default 7 days). Follow their absence procedure.

When do I need a fit note?

From day 8 of continuous sickness. Days 1-7 self-certification. Fit note from GP or other registered health professional.

What if my employer says I don't qualify for SSP?

Ask for reason in writing (form SSP1). If disagree, contact HMRC Statutory Payments Disputes Team. Ruling is binding.

Can I get SSP for multiple short absences?

Yes. From 6 April 2026 there are no waiting days, so SSP is payable from the first day of each period. Periods within 8 weeks of each other are linked and share the same 28-week overall entitlement.

Do I get SSP if I work part-time?

Yes. From 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings requirement. You get £123.25/week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower.

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  • Auto-enrolment duties — Auto-enrolment = employer duty since 2012. 8% total minimum. Re-enrolment every 3 years.
  • Bank holidays — No statutory right to bank holiday off. Contract decides. 2026 UK has 8 bank holidays.

Related salary breakdowns

Glossary terms used on this page

Quick definitions for the key terms above.

  • PAYE — The UK system through which employers deduct Income Tax and National Insurance from employees' pay before paying it to them.

Sources

Tax rates and thresholds come from GOV.UK, HMRC and gov.scot. Salary and other figures come from the organisations named below.

  1. GOV.UK - Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
  2. ACAS - Employment rights + statutory notice

All tax figures on this page use the same configuration that powers our calculators — see our editorial standards for the review process.

Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. Next review due 14 December 2026.
Recent changes: October 2026: updated for the 6 April 2026 SSP changes (no waiting days, no Lower Earnings Limit, £123.25/week or 80% of earnings if lower).

Disclaimer: This page provides general information based on published HMRC and gov.scot figures. It is not personal tax or financial advice. For your specific situation, please consult a qualified accountant or contact HMRC directly.