UK sick pay calculator (Statutory Sick Pay)

How much Statutory Sick Pay you get for the days you are off sick: the weekly rate of £123.25 or 80% of your pay, whichever is lower, and the daily rate.

Statutory Sick Pay

£73.95

£24.65 a day · £123.25 a week

Flat rate £123.25
3 days paid
67% of your pay

With average weekly earnings of £185.00, your weekly Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25, because 80% of your pay is more than the flat rate of £123.25, so the flat rate is the lower figure. Divided over 5 working days a week, that is £24.65 a day. For 3 days off sick you get £73.95.

SSP is paid by your employer like your wages, from the first full working day you are off, for up to 28 weeks. Tax and National Insurance are deducted. You can get more if your company has its own sick pay scheme: check your contract.

You qualify if you are an employee, have done some work for your employer and have been ill for at least one full working day. You must usually tell your employer by the deadline they set, or within 7 days.
After more than 7 days in a row off sick (counting non-working days), your employer can ask for a fit note.
Not included: periods of sickness that link (8 weeks or less apart), absences that began before 6 April 2026 and a company scheme that pays more. You get no SSP while you are getting Statutory Maternity Pay.

I’m not an accountant or a financial advisor. This is an estimate, for information only. Check with a professional before you decide.

Your numbers

example: change the numbers

Average weekly earnings before tax

What you earn on average each week, before tax. Your employer works it out from your pay over the 8 weeks before you fell ill. A yearly salary divided by 52 is a good guide: £9,620 a year is £185 a week.

Days you normally work in a week

Your qualifying days: the days you are normally contracted to work. SSP is paid only for those days.

Working days you are off sick

The number of your normal working days you miss because of illness. Count only the days you would have worked.

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The calculation
	Average weekly earnings	£185.00
	80% of your average weekly earnings	£148.00
	Flat weekly rate	£123.25
=	Weekly SSPthe lower of the two	£123.25
	Daily rateweekly rate ÷ 5 qualifying days	£24.65
	3 days at the daily rate	£73.95
=	Statutory Sick Pay	£73.95

How it works

Take your average weekly earnings before tax and work out 80% of them. Your weekly SSP is that figure or £123.25, whichever is lower.
SSP is paid for the days you would normally have worked. Divide the weekly rate by your working days in a week to get the daily rate, rounded to the penny.
Multiply the daily rate by the number of working days you are off sick, or pay the weekly rate for each full week. SSP lasts up to 28 weeks.

Worked example

HMRC’s example: average weekly earnings of £185. 80% is £148, which is more than £123.25, so the weekly rate is £123.25. On a 5-day week the daily rate is £24.65, and 3 days off sick pay £73.95. At £145 a week, 80% is £116, which is lower, so the weekly rate is £116, £23.20 a day on a 5-day week: 3 days pay £69.60.

Sources

Text checked on October 12, 2026

Good to know

From 6 April 2026 SSP is paid from the first full working day you are off sick, and the rate is £123.25 a week or 80% of your normal weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks.
You can still get SSP if you started your job recently and have not yet received 8 weeks’ pay. Ask your employer how your average is worked out.
If you have more than one job, you may get SSP from each employer.
If you have regular periods of sickness, they can be linked: periods more than one working day long and 8 weeks or less apart count as one. You stop being eligible for SSP if a continuous series of linked periods lasts more than 3 years.
If you are not eligible or your SSP ends, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance. Your employer can give you form SSP1 to support your application.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Statutory Sick Pay in 2026/27?

£123.25 a week or 80% of your normal weekly earnings, whichever is lower, paid for up to 28 weeks.

When does SSP start?

From the first full working day you are off sick, for the days you would normally have worked.

How is the daily rate worked out?

The weekly rate divided by the number of days you normally work in a week, rounded to the penny. On a 5-day week the flat rate gives £24.65 a day.

Who can get SSP?

Employees who have done some work for their employer and have been ill for at least one full working day.

How long is SSP paid?

Up to 28 weeks. After that you may be able to claim Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.