Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Calculator – UK
If you're off work due to illness, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 per week, whichever is lower. This calculator helps you estimate your gross SSP amount based on how long you're off and your working pattern.
Statutory Sick Pay is the legal minimum your employer must pay when you're too ill to work. It applies to eligible employees across the UK. From 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings threshold. New absences use 80% of average weekly earnings, capped at £123.25 a week. Contractual sick pay may be higher, depending on your employer.
SSP is payable from the first full qualifying day from 6 April 2026. Earlier absences had a four-calendar-day condition and three unpaid qualifying days. Enter actual dates and agreed qualifying weekdays to apply the correct rules, including supported continuing-absence transitions. The maximum is 28 weeks; linked absences and other eligibility conditions need a payroll check.
It's worth remembering that many employers offer contractual sick pay that exceeds SSP—sometimes full pay for a set number of weeks. Always check your employment contract or staff handbook first. This calculator gives you the SSP baseline, helping you understand the minimum you're legally entitled to and plan your finances accordingly.
Statutory Sick Pay Calculator
Estimate gross SSP for one continuous absence and a regular agreed qualifying-day pattern. Assumes you are an eligible employee, have not used SSP in an earlier linked absence, and have not received ESA in the preceding 85 days. Linked spells, irregular rotas and eligibility disputes need a payroll check.
Normally the relevant eight-week gross-pay average; ask payroll if newly employed.
Include weekends and other non-working days. A partly worked first day is excluded.
Rules checked 2 October 2026 against GOV.UK SSP guidance and HMRC transition guidance.
What this means for your finances during illness
SSP is capped at £123.25 per week for 2026/27; a worker with £100 average weekly earnings receives £80 for a full qualifying week. New absences have no waiting days. SSP lasts up to 28 weeks, including relevant linked spells. Other support has its own eligibility rules.
Always check your contract for company sick pay (CSP) — many employers top up to full pay for a fixed period, which dwarfs SSP. If SSP is your only income, check Universal Credit separately. SSP counts as earnings, and household income, capital and other claim conditions affect any award.
Day-One SSP and Qualifying Days
From 6 April 2026, eligible employees receive SSP for full sickness days they normally would have worked. Select your agreed weekdays, enter the first full day off and include non-working days in the calendar period. This avoids assuming that every absence starts on a Monday.
A Monday-to-Friday worker earning £100 a week, off for five full calendar days from Monday 12 October 2026, has five qualifying days and an £80 gross estimate. A one-day Monday absence produces £16. A worker earning £500 receives the capped £123.25 for that full five-day week.
Historical and Transitional SSP
For a new unlinked absence before 6 April 2026, at least four consecutive calendar days were required; the first three qualifying days were unpaid. The 2025/26 weekly rate was £118.75 and the earnings floor was £125. The 2024/25 figures were £116.75 and £123; 2023/24 used £109.40 and £123.
Waiting days before 6 April 2026 stay unpaid, while remaining waiting days cease from the reform date. Low earners whose uninterrupted absence began on or before 21 September 2025 do not automatically become entitled on 6 April 2026. Restarted or linked spells need individual payroll advice; the calculator covers one continuous unlinked spell only.
Continuing employees already receiving SSP at the reform can qualify for the protected rate described above. The weekly breakdown separates old and new rates. Rates after 5 April 2027 are not included.
Eligibility and Other Support
An amount estimate does not establish entitlement. Employee status, having started work, reporting requirements, previous SSP, ESA and overlapping statutory payments can affect eligibility. Contractual sick pay may exceed SSP. If your employer says you cannot receive SSP or your entitlement ends, ask about form SSP1 and check Universal Credit or New Style ESA separately.
UC health additions have higher and lower LCWRA rates from April 2026. A health condition alone does not establish a health award. Use the UC calculator’s established-category inputs or obtain benefits advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Checked 2 October 2026: GOV.UK SSP amounts, eligibility and HMRC transition rules.
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