Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator — 2026 rules
SSP changed significantly in April 2026: it is now paid from your first day off sick, the minimum-earnings test has been abolished, and the weekly amount is £123.25 or 80% of your average weekly earnings — whichever is lower. Enter your details to see what you are owed. The result is the legal minimum; a company sick pay scheme can only add to it.
How it works
Your weekly SSP is the lower of £123.25 or 80% of your average weekly earnings. Your daily rate is that weekly amount divided by the number of qualifying days you normally work each week. Multiply by the days you are off sick to get your total.
A worked example: with average weekly earnings of £600, 80% is £480 — well above £123.25 — so your weekly SSP is £123.25. Working a five-day week, the daily rate is £123.25 ÷ 5 = £24.65, and three days off sick pays 3 × £24.65 = £73.95.
For lower earners the 80% rule bites instead. On average weekly earnings of £100, 80% is £80, which is below £123.25, so £80 becomes the weekly figure. Over a four-day working week that is £20 per qualifying day — and it is precisely this group who received nothing at all before April 2026, because they fell under the old minimum-earnings test.
Under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (in force from 6 April 2026) there are no more "waiting days" — you are paid from the first day of sickness, not the fourth. The old rule that you had to earn at least the Lower Earnings Limit has also been scrapped, so low-paid and part-time workers now qualify.
Who is covered: you qualify as an employee who has done some work and is sick for at least one full working day. The timing of the absence matters too — if your sickness began before 6 April 2026, the old rules (including waiting days) may still apply to that absence.
A common mistake is calculating from full salary rather than the capped formula: someone on £600 a week receives £123.25 of SSP, not £480 — the 80% figure only ever applies when it is lower than £123.25. Another is dividing by seven instead of by qualifying days: the daily rate depends on how many days you normally work.
SSP can be paid for up to 28 weeks per period of sickness. Periods of sickness within 8 weeks of each other are "linked" and count together toward that 28-week limit. Your employer may pay more under a company sick pay scheme — SSP is the legal minimum, and this calculator shows only that floor.
FAQ
How much is Statutory Sick Pay in 2026/27?
The weekly rate is £123.25, but if 80% of your average weekly earnings is less than that, you get the 80% figure instead. This "lower of" rule is new from April 2026 and means everyone who works gets some sick pay, regardless of how little they earn.
When does SSP start — do waiting days still exist?
No. From 6 April 2026, SSP is paid from the first qualifying day you are off sick. Before the reform you were unpaid for the first three days. If your sickness began before 6 April 2026, the old rules may still apply to that absence.
I work part-time and earn under £129 a week — do I qualify?
Yes. The Lower Earnings Limit test was abolished in April 2026. There is no longer any minimum earnings requirement — you qualify as an employee who has done some work and is sick for at least one full working day. You will receive 80% of your average weekly earnings (as that is below £123.25).
How long can I get SSP for?
Up to 28 weeks for a single period of sickness. After that, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit. Linked periods of sickness (within 8 weeks of each other) count together toward the 28-week limit.
How is the daily SSP rate worked out?
Weekly SSP divided by the qualifying days you normally work each week — not by seven. On the standard £123.25 weekly rate, a five-day worker gets £24.65 per sick day while a four-day worker gets £30.81, and each is paid only for qualifying days missed. The same division applies when the 80%-of-earnings figure is the weekly amount.
Why is my SSP less than 80% of my wages?
Because the weekly amount is the LOWER of £123.25 and 80% of your average weekly earnings. The 80% figure only applies to people whose earnings are low enough that 80% falls below £123.25 — for everyone else the flat £123.25 cap is the operative number, however much you normally earn.
Can my employer pay me more than SSP?
Yes — SSP is the legal minimum, not a target. Many employers run company sick pay schemes that pay full or part salary for a set period, and anything your contract promises comes on top of the statutory floor. This calculator shows only the SSP element, so check your contract or staff handbook for the complete picture.
What are linked periods of sickness?
Separate absences that fall within 8 weeks of each other count as one continuous period for SSP purposes. That matters for the 28-week maximum: repeated related absences gradually use up the same entitlement rather than restarting it. A gap of more than 8 weeks between absences starts a fresh period.