Statutory Sick Pay calculator: the 2026 rules, with the working shown.
Work out SSP for a sickness period under the post-April 2026 rules, including the weekly rate, daily rate, linked periods and 28-week maximum. Then record the absence properly.
Work it out with the working shown
£73.95SSP for 3 qualifying days off sick
The working
- 80% of £185.00 average weekly earnings = £148.00
- £148.00 is more than the £123.25 flat rate, so the weekly rate is £123.25
- £123.25 a week ÷ 5 qualifying days = £24.65 a day
- £24.65 a day × 3 qualifying days off sick = £73.95
SSP is paid from the first qualifying day off sick: the old waiting days were abolished from 6 April 2026, and runs for at most 28 weeks. It is paid through payroll and taxed like normal wages.
What this calculator does not do
It applies the rules in force from 6 April 2026: the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from the first qualifying day, for up to 28 weeks. It does not handle:
- Working out average weekly earnings from payroll history: compute the 8-week average per HMRC guidance and enter the result.
- Sickness spanning 6 April 2026: transitional cases mixing the old waiting-day rules with the new first-day rules.
- Occupational or company sick pay schemes above the statutory floor.
- More than one linked earlier period, irregular qualifying-day patterns, agency edge cases, or the 3-year linked-series limit.
- Eligibility interactions: for example, no SSP while on Statutory Maternity Pay.
For any of those, or a disputed case, use the official GOV.UK Statutory Sick Pay calculator . It is the authority, not us.
Rules basis: SSP from the first qualifying day off sick, at the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, for up to 28 weeks (SSP rules in force from 6 April 2026 (2026 to 2027 rates)). Reviewed 28 July 2026 · next review due by 1 March 2027 · Source: GOV.UK Statutory Sick Pay
The authorityCross-check any answer with the official GOV.UK SSP calculator. It is the definitive source for transitional absences, multiple linked periods and every eligibility edge case. ↗How is SSP calculated from 6 April 2026?
From 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first full qualifying day of sickness: the old waiting days are abolished, and the weekly rate is the lower of 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings or £123.25. Eligible employees qualify regardless of how little they earn.
Divide the weekly rate by the employee's qualifying days in the week, multiply by the qualifying days off sick, and round the amount up to the nearest penny. The calculator above shows every step; SSP stops after 28 weeks, and spells 8 weeks or less apart link into one period.
What matters
Start with the rule
From 6 April 2026, SSP is payable from the first full qualifying day of sickness: the old waiting days are abolished, and the weekly rate is the lower of 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings or £123.25. Eligible employees qualify regardless of how little they earn.
Write down the decision
Keep the policy, dates, calculation inputs and decision together so another person can understand what happened.
Check the current source
The calculator above covers a single or linked sickness period and shows its working. Use the official GOV.UK calculator or payroll software for transitional absences spanning 6 April 2026 and multi-linked cases.
A practical checklist
For a small team, a short repeatable process beats an impressive policy nobody follows.
- Confirm the sickness dates
- Identify qualifying working days
- Calculate average weekly earnings correctly
- Apply the lower-of formula
- Check maximum-duration and linked-absence rules
- Record company sick pay separately
Where software helps, and where it does not
HollyHR can keep the relevant people record, dates, documents, leave and working pattern in one place. It cannot decide a legal, medical or employee-relations question for you.
The calculator above covers a single or linked sickness period and shows its working. Use the official GOV.UK calculator or payroll software for transitional absences spanning 6 April 2026 and multi-linked cases.
Check the source, not just our summary
Rules and product pages change. These are the first-party references behind this page.
Questions people ask
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a practical summary for UK small teams. Check the linked official guidance and take qualified advice for a specific or disputed case.
Why keep the source with the calculation?
Rates and rules change. Recording the inputs, date and source makes the answer reviewable instead of becoming an unexplained number in a spreadsheet.
Can HollyHR track this?
HollyHR can hold the underlying employee, working-pattern, leave and document records. It does not present itself as a legal-advice engine.
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Keep reading: SSP meaning · Sickness absence