{"id":104,"date":"2026-09-18T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/?p=104"},"modified":"2026-07-04T17:48:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T17:48:52","slug":"statutory-sick-pay-explained-2026-27","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/guides\/statutory-sick-pay-explained-2026-27\/","title":{"rendered":"Statutory Sick Pay Explained 2026\/27"},"content":{"rendered":"

How UK Statutory Sick Pay works in 2026\/27 \u2014 qualifying days, the weekly rate, and who’s eligible.<\/p>\n

Who qualifies<\/h2>\n

Employees earning above the Lower Earnings Limit who’ve been off sick for at least 4 consecutive days, including non-working days.<\/p>\n

The weekly rate<\/h2>\n

SSP is paid at a fixed weekly rate for 2026\/27, for up to 28 weeks \u2014 worth checking the current figure directly since it’s reviewed annually.<\/p>\n

Waiting days<\/h2>\n

The first 3 qualifying days of any sickness period are unpaid “waiting days” \u2014 SSP itself only starts from day 4, though many employers offer contractual sick pay that covers this gap.<\/p>\n

Work out SSP entitlement with the Payslp SSP calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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What happens with intermittent sickness<\/h2>\n

If sickness periods are separated by fewer than a set number of days, they can be linked together as a single period for SSP purposes \u2014 worth understanding this rule specifically if an employee has several short absences close together, since it changes how waiting days and the 28-week limit are calculated.<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n

Do zero-hours workers qualify for SSP?<\/strong>
\nYes, provided they meet the earnings and qualifying conditions \u2014 employment type alone doesn’t exclude someone from SSP eligibility.<\/p>\n

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Related reading<\/h2>\n