Statutory Sick Pay UK 2026: How Much Will You Receive?

If you've been signed off sick, you're probably asking one question: how much will actually land in your bank account. The rules changed significantly on 6 April 2026, so even if you've claimed SSP before, it's worth checking the current figures rather than relying on what you remember from last year.

How Much Is Statutory Sick Pay in 2026?

Statutory Sick Pay for the 2026/27 tax year is £123.25 a week, up from £118.75 in 2025/26. You're paid the lower of two amounts:

• £123.25 per week (the flat statutory rate), or
• 80% of your average weekly earnings, calculated over the 8 weeks before you went off sick.

For most full-time employees on a typical salary, the flat rate of £123.25 will apply, since 80% of their earnings comfortably exceeds it. The 80% rule mainly affects lower earners, who — now that the earnings threshold has been scrapped — can claim SSP for the first time, but at a proportionally lower amount if their weekly pay is modest.

How Much Do You Get Per Day?

SSP is a weekly figure divided across your normal "qualifying days" (the days you'd usually work). For example:

You can check take-home figures alongside your SSP using the Salary Calculator UK and Income Tax Calculator UK, since SSP is taxable and subject to National Insurance like normal pay.

Who Is Eligible for Statutory Sick Pay in 2026?

To qualify for SSP, you generally need to:

• Be classed as an employee (not self-employed) and have done some work for your employer.
• Be off sick for at least one full qualifying day.
• Follow your employer's sickness reporting rules and provide a fit note after 7 days off.
• Not already be receiving Statutory Maternity Pay or certain other statutory payments that overlap.

The biggest change for 2026 is what's no longer required: you don't need to earn above a minimum amount. Previously, you had to earn at least £125 a week on average to qualify at all — anyone under that threshold got nothing. From 6 April 2026, that Lower Earnings Limit has been removed entirely, meaning an estimated 1.3 million lower-paid workers became newly eligible for SSP.

When Does SSP Start Being Paid?

Another major shift: SSP is now paid from your very first qualifying day off sick. Before April 2026, there were three unpaid "waiting days" at the start of any sickness absence, so short illnesses of a day or two often meant no pay at all. That waiting period has been abolished, so even a single day of sickness can now trigger SSP, provided you meet the other conditions.

How Long Can You Claim Statutory Sick Pay?

SSP is payable for up to 28 weeks. This can be one continuous period of sickness, or several shorter periods that are treated as "linked" if they're separated by 8 weeks or less — in which case, the earnings calculation from the original period usually carries forward.

What About Transitional Cases?

If you were already receiving SSP for an absence that started before 6 April 2026 and you earned between £125 and £154.05 a week, transitional protection means you keep the flat £123.25 rate for that specific absence, rather than dropping to 80% of your average earnings. This protection applies only to that ongoing absence — any new sickness period afterwards is assessed under the standard post-2026 rules.

What Happens When SSP Runs Out?

If your SSP is ending, or you don't qualify at all, your employer must give you form SSP1. You can use this to apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit instead. It's worth checking your entitlement with CalZone's Universal Credit Calculator UK so you know roughly what to expect while you arrange alternative support.

Statutory Sick Pay vs. Other UK Payroll Entitlements

SSP sits alongside several other statutory payments UK employees may be entitled to, and it's easy to conflate them:

• Redundancy pay – a separate lump sum if your role is made redundant; check yours with the Redundancy Calculator UK.
• Holiday pay – you continue to accrue statutory annual leave while off sick; see the Holiday Pay Calculator UK.
• National Minimum Wage – SSP itself isn't subject to minimum wage rules, but your normal pay is; double-check with the Minimum Wage Calculator UK.
• Payslip breakdown – see how SSP, tax and National Insurance interact on a real payslip with the Payslip Calculator UK.