Glossary · UK
What is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?
A weekly payment of £123.25 (2026/27) that employers must pay eligible employees who are too ill to work, for up to 28 weeks.
Full Definition
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum amount employers in the UK must pay eligible employees who are off work sick. For 2026/27, SSP is paid at £123.25 per week. To qualify, an employee must earn on average at least the Lower Earnings Limit (£129 per week for 2026/27), be classed as an employee (not self-employed), have been sick for at least four consecutive days (including non-working days), and have notified their employer of their sickness within the required time and in the required way. SSP is paid by the employer through payroll like normal wages, subject to tax and National Insurance, and can be paid for up to 28 weeks. Many employers offer more generous contractual (occupational) sick pay on top of, or instead of, the SSP minimum, particularly for longer service or larger employers, but SSP itself is the statutory floor that applies regardless of what the employment contract says. Employees who do not qualify for SSP -- for example because their average earnings are below the Lower Earnings Limit -- may instead need to claim Universal Credit or, in limited circumstances, Employment and Support Allowance.