Finance calculators

Sick Pay Calculator

Updated Aug 20, 2026 By Jehan Wadia
Rate Formulas
Eligibility Check
Does the employer pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for this employee?
Was the employee sick for at least one full working day?
Did the employee report their sickness within the required time limit?
Employers can set their own reporting limit. Where none is set, the statutory fallback is 7 days.
Does the employee earn at least £125.00 per week on average before tax?
£125.00 per week is the Lower Earnings Limit required to qualify for SSP (applies to sick days before 6 April 2026).
Employee Earnings
Enter the gross pay for the frequency selected next (numbers only).
Used to convert the salary above into average weekly earnings.
Qualifying days = the days the employee normally works. The daily SSP rate is the weekly rate divided by this number.
Working day pattern (used for the day-by-day breakdown)
Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) — updates as you type
£615.38
Above the £125.00 Lower Earnings Limit.
Sick Leave Period(s)
Up to 5 sick periods. Periods separated by 56 days or fewer are treated as one linked absence.
Statutory Sick Pay Calculator — calculation date
Total SSP Owed
£0.00
Applicable SSP Rate Used
—
Average Weekly Earnings
—
Total Qualifying Days Paid
—
Waiting Days Deducted
—
Sick Period(s) Summary
Period / segment Start End Calendar days Working days Waiting days Paid days SSP subtotal
Rate Comparison — Statutory Rate vs 80% of AWE
Rate period Statutory SSP rate 80% of AWE Lower figure applied Daily rate used
28-Week Entitlement Tracker
Day-by-Day Qualifying Days
SSP by Segment
Absence Day Breakdown
Step-by-Step Solution

Introduction

This Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) calculator works out how much sick pay an employee should get. Just enter the pay, the working days each week, and the sick leave dates. The tool does the math and shows you the total.

SSP is the least amount an employer must pay a worker who is off sick. In the UK, the rate is £118.75 a week for sick days before 6 April 2026, and £123.25 a week from 6 April 2026. From that date, sick pay can also be capped at 80% of average weekly earnings, and the calculator picks the lower figure for you.

The calculator also handles the tricky rules. It checks if the worker qualifies, counts waiting days for older claims, links sick periods that are 56 days apart or less, and tracks the 28-week limit. You get a clear day-by-day view, charts, and a step-by-step answer you can print or share with payroll.

How to use our Sick Pay Calculator

Answer four quick eligibility questions, enter the employee's pay and their sick leave dates, and the calculator shows the total Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) owed, the daily and weekly SSP rate used, paid qualifying days, waiting days, and a full step-by-step working out.

Employer pays Class 1 National Insurance: Pick "Yes" if the employer pays Class 1 NI contributions for this worker. If you pick "No", no SSP is due.

Sick for at least one full working day: Pick "Yes" if the employee missed a whole contracted working day. SSP only covers full working days.

Reported sickness in time: Pick "Yes" if the employee told the employer within the deadline. If the employer has no rule, the limit is 7 days.

Earns at least £125.00 per week: Pick "Yes" if average weekly pay before tax meets the £125.00 Lower Earnings Limit. This only matters for sick days before 6 April 2026.

Gross salary before tax: Type the employee's pay before tax and deductions. Use numbers only, with no pound sign. If you only know the take-home figure, our Net to Gross Calculator and Gross Pay Calculator can help you find it.

Pay frequency: Choose how often that pay is paid — weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly, monthly, or annual. The tool uses this to work out average weekly earnings (AWE). For other pay conversions, try the Salary Calculator, the Weekly Pay Calculator or the Hourly to Salary Calculator.

Contracted working days per week: Enter how many days a week the employee normally works, from 1 to 7. The daily SSP rate is the weekly rate split over these days.

Working day pattern: Tick the exact days of the week the employee works. This builds the day-by-day chart and marks which days get paid. To count contracted hours across a rota, the Work Hours Calculator and Shift Calculator are useful companions.

Sick leave start date: Pick the first day of the sick absence.

Sick leave end date: Pick the last day of the sick absence. Before 6 April 2026, the absence must be at least 4 days in a row to count. Use the Date Duration Calculator if you need to check how long an absence ran.

Add Another Sick Period: Use this to add up to 5 sick periods. Periods with a gap of 56 days or less are linked and counted as one absence. The gap between dates can also be checked with our Date Calculator.

Press Calculate to see your results, Start Over to clear the form, or Print Results to save a copy for your payroll records.

What Is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?

Statutory Sick Pay is the money your employer must pay you when you are too ill to work. It is the legal minimum in the UK. Some jobs offer better sick pay in the contract, but SSP is the floor no employer can go below.

Who Can Get SSP

To get SSP you must:

  • Be an employee whose employer pays Class 1 National Insurance for you
  • Be off sick for at least one full working day
  • Tell your employer in time (7 days if your workplace has no other rule)
  • Earn at least £125 a week on average before tax — this rule only applies to sick days before 6 April 2026

SSP Rates and the 6 April 2026 Change

The weekly SSP rate is £118.75 for sick days before 6 April 2026. From 6 April 2026 it rises to £123.25 a week. New rules also start on that date:

  • No waiting days. Before 6 April 2026, the first 3 working days of an absence are unpaid. From that date, SSP is paid from day one.
  • No earnings limit. Low earners no longer need to earn £125 a week to qualify.
  • 80% cap. You get the weekly rate or 80% of your average weekly pay — whichever is lower. So if you earn less than about £154 a week, you get 80% of your pay instead.

If your sick leave starts before 6 April 2026 and ends after it, the days are split and each part uses its own rules.

Qualifying Days and the Daily Rate

SSP is only paid for qualifying days — the days you normally work. Your daily rate is the weekly rate divided by how many days a week you are contracted to work. Someone who works 5 days a week gets one fifth of the weekly rate for each sick day. Someone who works 3 days a week gets a third, so their daily amount is higher, but they have fewer paid days. If you are paid by the hour, the Salary to Hourly Calculator shows what a normal working day would otherwise be worth.

How Long SSP Lasts

You can get SSP for up to 28 weeks in one absence. After that it stops, even if you are still sick. Long absences can also affect holiday entitlement, which you can check with the Annual Leave Calculator or the Pro Rata Holiday Calculator.

Linked Sick Periods

If you go off sick again within 56 days of an earlier absence, the two are treated as one long absence. This matters for two reasons: the 28-week limit is shared, and you do not serve waiting days twice. Employers tracking repeat absences often pair this with the Bradford Factor Calculator.

The 4-Day Rule

For sick days before 6 April 2026, an absence must last at least 4 days in a row (including weekends and days off) before SSP can start. This is called a Period of Incapacity for Work, or PIW. The Business Days Calculator is handy when you need to separate working days from calendar days.

Average Weekly Earnings (AWE)

AWE is your normal weekly pay before tax. Monthly pay is turned into weekly pay by multiplying by 12 and dividing by 52. Yearly pay is divided by 52. AWE decides if you qualify and, from 6 April 2026, whether the 80% cap applies to you. To see the same figure over other periods, try the Monthly Income Calculator or the Annual Income Calculator.

Good to Know

Formulas used

Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) from pay frequency
\text{AWE} = \begin{cases} P & \text{weekly} \\ P \div 2 & \text{fortnightly} \\ P \div 4 & \text{four-weekly} \\ P \times 12 \div 52 & \text{monthly} \\ P \div 52 & \text{annual} \end{cases}
Weekly SSP rate applied (days on/after 6 April 2026)
R_{\text{week}} = \min\left(R_{\text{stat}},\; 0.80 \times \text{AWE}\right)
Weekly SSP rate applied (days before 6 April 2026)
R_{\text{week}} = R_{\text{stat}} = 118.75
Daily SSP rate
R_{\text{day}} = \frac{R_{\text{week}}}{D_{\text{work}}}
Paid qualifying days
N_{\text{paid}} = N_{\text{working}} - N_{\text{waiting}} - N_{\text{capped}}
Total SSP owed (sum over rate segments)
\text{SSP}_{\text{total}} = \sum_{s} \frac{R_{\text{week},s}}{D_{\text{work}}} \times N_{\text{paid},s}
28-week entitlement: maximum paid days and weeks used
N_{\max} = 28 \times D_{\text{work}}, \qquad W_{\text{used}} = \frac{N_{\text{paid}}}{D_{\text{work}}}
Gap between sick periods (linked if 56 days or fewer)
G = \frac{S_{\text{next}} - E_{\text{prev}}}{86400000} - 1 \;\le\; 56

Frequently asked questions

Why does my result show £0.00?

The most common reasons are:

  • All the working days were used up as waiting days (the first 3 working days before 6 April 2026).
  • The sick dates fall on days the employee does not work, so there are no qualifying days.
  • The 28-week limit has already been used.

Check the day-by-day chart. It shows why each day was paid or not paid.

Does the calculator count weekends and bank holidays?

Weekends and bank holidays count as calendar days in the absence, but SSP is only paid for the days you tick in the working day pattern. If someone does not work Saturday, that Saturday is marked as a non-working day and gets no SSP. Bank holidays are treated like normal working days if they fall on a contracted working day.

What are waiting days and why do three days show as unpaid?

Waiting days are the first 3 qualifying days of an absence that starts before 6 April 2026. No SSP is paid for them. The calculator marks them orange in the day-by-day chart. From 6 April 2026, waiting days are gone and SSP starts on day one.

What happens if the sick leave starts before 6 April 2026 and ends after it?

The calculator splits the absence into two parts. Days before 6 April 2026 use the £118.75 weekly rate and waiting day rules. Days from 6 April 2026 use the £123.25 rate with no waiting days and the 80% cap. The period table shows both parts and adds them up.

Why did I get an error saying the period must be 4 days long?

For absences starting before 6 April 2026, the sickness must last at least 4 days in a row before SSP can start. This includes weekends and days off. Short absences of 1 to 3 days do not qualify, so the calculator asks you to fix the dates.

Is the SSP total before or after tax?

It is the gross amount, before tax and National Insurance are taken off. Your take-home SSP will be lower if you pay tax. Use a PAYE or take-home pay tool to see the net figure.

Can I use this calculator for part-time workers?

Yes. Set the contracted working days per week to match the worker, and tick the exact days they work. A 3-day-a-week worker gets a third of the weekly rate for each sick day, so their daily amount is bigger but they have fewer paid days.

Does overtime or bonus pay count in average weekly earnings?

Yes. Average weekly earnings are based on all gross pay, including overtime, bonuses and commission. Add these into the gross salary box so the average weekly figure is right. This matters because the 80% cap from 6 April 2026 is based on that figure.

Why is 80% of my pay used instead of the full weekly rate?

From 6 April 2026, SSP is the lower of £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly pay. If you earn less than about £154 a week, 80% of your pay is the smaller number, so that is what you get. The rate comparison table shows both figures and which one was used.

Can employers claim SSP back from the government?

No. Employers have paid the full cost of SSP since April 2014. The old recovery scheme ended. The total in this calculator is what the employer pays out.

What if the company sick pay scheme pays more than SSP?

Then the employee gets the higher contract amount, not SSP. SSP is only the legal minimum. Employers usually count SSP as part of the contractual sick pay rather than paying both on top of each other.

Do self-employed workers get SSP?

No. SSP is only for employees whose employer pays Class 1 National Insurance for them. Self-employed people cannot get SSP, but they may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit instead.

Does the 28-week SSP limit ever reset?

Yes. The limit resets once you have been back at work for more than 56 days with no linked sickness. If a new absence starts within 56 days of an old one, the two share the same 28 weeks. The tracker bar shows how much of the 28 weeks is left.

Why does the calculator say two periods are not linked?

Because the gap between them is more than 56 days. Each absence is then treated on its own. That means a fresh 28-week entitlement, and fresh waiting days for absences before 6 April 2026.

What if the employee goes home sick part way through a day?

That day does not count. SSP only covers full working days missed because of illness. If the employee worked any part of the day, start the sick period from the next working day.

Does this calculator work for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Yes. SSP rules and rates are the same across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so the results apply everywhere in the UK.

What do the colours in the day-by-day chart mean?

Green means a paid qualifying day. Orange means a waiting day with no pay. Grey means a non-working day. Red means the day falls past the 28-week maximum, so no SSP is due. Hover over any day to see the date and its status.

Can I print or save the results for payroll?

Yes. Press Print Results at the bottom. The print view keeps the totals, the period table, the day-by-day list and the step-by-step working, so you can file it or pass it to payroll.

Does the calculator save or send my details?

No. Everything is worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or shared. Press Start Over to clear the form.

Can I work out SSP for more than one absence at a time?

Yes. Use Add Another Sick Period to enter up to 5 absences. The calculator checks the gaps, links any that are 56 days apart or less, and shows a subtotal for each period plus one grand total.

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