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> Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
This benefit is paid by your employer. Any disputes are handled by your local Inland Revenue office.
What is Statutory Sick Pay?
• paid by your employer
• paid for up to 28 weeks
Can you apply?
• If you have been sick for at least 4 days in a row including weekends
and bank holidays
and
• employed when you became sick
and
• earning enough on average for it to be relevant for NI purposes
(this amount is lower than the amount when you have to start paying NI
contributions)
Then you should claim SSP.
If you want to know how much you have to earn for it to be relevant for NI purposes, contact your Inland Revenue office.
Notes
You can get SSP for up to 28 weeks in one spell of sickness.
Spells of at least 4 days in a row with 8 weeks or less between them are counted as one spell.
If you have more than one job you may be entitled to SSP from each employer.
If SSP ends, you should claim Incapacity Benefit.
How much is it?
If your average earnings before deductions such as tax and National Insurance (NI) are £87.00 a week or more:
Standard rate - £72.55 per week
How to claim
Ask your employer about SSP
You can download a claim form here
Changing circumstances
If you go into hospital, your SSP is not affected, however long your stay.
If you work abroad you may be able to get SSP if your employer is liable to pay NI contributions for you.
If you go abroad to visit, SSP can still be paid provided you can prove you are still sick. Most other benefits are affected if you are going abroad.
If you are abroad as part of a service family - members of the Armed Forces cannot get SSP, but members of their families may be able to get it.