Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): employer guide

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Entitlement

The weekly rate for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is £116.75 for up to 28 weeks. It is paid:

  • for the days an employee normally works - called ‘qualifying days’
  • in the same way as wages, for example on the normal payday, deducting tax and National insurance

Use the SSP calculator to work out the actual amount, for example for a daily rate.

Some employment types like agency workers, directors and educational workers have different rules for entitlement. You may still have to pay SSP even if you stop trading.

You cannot force your employees to take annual leave when they’re eligible for sick leave.

When to start paying SSP

SSP is paid when the employee is sick for more than 3 days in a row (including non-working days).

You cannot count a day as a sick day if an employee has worked for a minute or more before they go home sick.

If an employee works a shift that ends the day after it started and becomes sick during the shift or after it has finished, the second day will count as a sick day.

You do not pay an employee SSP for the first 3 working days they’re off sick unless both of the following apply:

  • you’ve paid them SSP within the last 8 weeks
  • you did not pay them SSP for the first 3 working days at that time

When to stop paying SSP

SSP stops when the employee comes back to work or no longer qualifies for it.

Record keeping

You do not need to keep records of SSP paid to employees.

You can choose how you keep records of your employees’ sickness absence. HMRC may need to see these records if there’s a dispute over payment of SSP.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Part of Get your business ready to employ staff: step by step

  1. Step 1 Decide what type of employee you need

    1. Check whether you need full time or part time staff
    2. Check the different types of employment status

  2. and Check you can afford to take on employees

    1. Check how much the National Minimum Wage is
    2. Find out how much National Insurance you need to pay for your employees
    3. Check how much sick pay your employees are eligible for
    4. Check how much you need to pay towards your employee's pension
    5. Check how much Maternity Leave you need to pay your employees
    6. Check how much Paternity Leave you need to pay your employees

  3. Step 2 Make your workplace safe and accessible for employees

    1. Prevent discrimination
    2. Make your workplace accessible for employees with disabilities or health conditions
    3. Keep employee information and data safe
    4. Fire safety
    5. Health and safety

    You also need to make checks when you recruit and employ someone.

    1. Find out what you need to check when you employ someone

  4. Step 3 Register as an employer and set up PAYE

    You need to register with HMRC so you can pay tax and national insurance for your employees.

    1. Register as an employer and set up PAYE
    2. Choose how to run payroll
    3. If you decide to run payroll yourself, choose payroll software

  5. Step 4 Check your responsibilities around workplace pensions

    1. Understand your pension responsibilities as an employer

  6. Step 5 Get Employers' Liability insurance

    1. Find out about Employers' Liability insurance

  7. Step 6 Recruit and employ staff

    1. Employ someone