Google Adwords 0808 278 1398 Bing Ads 0808 274 4482

How much sick pay do I have to pay when an employee is on sick leave?

As a minimum, you are required to pay any entitlement to statutory sick pay (SSP). Statutory Sick Pay is £87.55 a week.

You start paying statutory sick pay if an employee is ill for four days or more (including weekends or other non-working days). SSP is payable from the fourth day, and is paid for any day that the employee would normally be working.

Most employees are entitled to statutory sick pay. There are a few exceptions — for example, employees who earn less than the National Insurance lower earnings limit or have already been paid the maximum 28 weeks entitlement. Your payroll software or payroll service should work out entitlements automatically.

Alternatively, you may offer your own sick pay scheme as part of the employee’s contract. Your sick pay scheme must pay at least as much as statutory sick pay.

Related FAQs

Expert legal advice you can rely on,
get in touch today


Please let us know you are not a robot

Your local legal experts


Why QualitySolicitors?

With QualitySolicitors your first initial assessment is free, so you can call us without worrying about being charged for a call you might not have actually needed to make. And because we place our clients are at the heart of everything we do, we make these five customer service promises to make sure you'll feel properly looked after.

This is why, in the first instance, most people looking for legal help in relation to a 'Home And Property' call QualitySolicitors for a Free Initial Assessment over the phone before requesting our Ask the Legal Expert service; which is an introductory 45-minute face-to-face consultation for £99.