SSP calculator 2026/27
From 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay is £123.25 a week or 80% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, paid from the first day off with no lower earnings limit. Enter the dates and pay to see what is due.
SSP, worked out
What is due in the most common cases, from the calculator above. Statutory Sick Pay only: company sick pay is on top.
| Earnings and days off | SSP a week | Days paid | SSP due |
|---|---|---|---|
| £400 a week, Monday to Friday, off Monday to Wednesday | £123.25 the weekly rate | 3 | £73.95 |
| £400 a week, Monday to Friday, off the whole week | £123.25 the weekly rate | 5 | £123.25 |
| £120 a week, Monday to Friday, off the whole week | £96.00 80% of earnings | 5 | £96.00 |
| £250 a week, works Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, off a week | £123.25 the weekly rate | 3 | £123.25 |
| £250 a week, Monday to Friday, off one day | £123.25 the weekly rate | 1 | £24.65 |
The figures used
Read from the same statutory reference data KivoHR’s sickness screens use, and checked against GOV.UK.
- Or this share of earnings, if lower
- 80%
Source: Statutory Sick Pay (opens in a new tab), checked 20 Oct 2026
The daily rate and the rounding follow GOV.UK’s own SSP calculator: the weekly rate divided by the qualifying days, kept to 4 decimal places, and each week’s pay rounded up to the penny. It covers sickness from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. A spell that began before 6 April 2026 has transitional rules: use GOV.UK’s calculator.
This calculator gives the legal minimum as guidance, not legal advice. For one person’s situation, check their contract, or ask Acas (0300 123 1100, free) or a solicitor.
Let KivoHR work out sick pay
KivoHR records each sickness, links spells 8 weeks apart, counts the weeks of SSP used, and applies your company sick pay on top, never below SSP. Payroll gets the days and rates for each period.
SSP questions.
How much is SSP in 2026/27?
From 6 April 2026, SSP is £123.25 a week or 80% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. It is paid for up to 28 weeks.
Is SSP paid from the first day off sick?
Yes, from 6 April 2026. The three unpaid waiting days have gone, so SSP is due from the first qualifying day of sickness, as long as the employee is off for at least one full working day.
Is there still a lower earnings limit for SSP?
No. From 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings to qualify. Instead, someone on low pay gets 80% of their average weekly earnings when that is less than the flat rate.
What are qualifying days?
The days an employee normally works. SSP is paid only for those: the weekly rate is divided by the number of qualifying days in a week to give the daily rate.
How are average weekly earnings worked out?
Usually from the pay, before tax, in the 8 weeks before the sickness began. Paid weekly: add up the 8 weeks and divide by 8. Paid monthly: add up the pay in that period, divide by the number of monthly payments, multiply by 12 and divide by 52. Someone who has been paid for less than 8 weeks still qualifies.
What if they were off sick recently?
Spells of sickness 8 weeks or less apart link into one. The SSP days already paid in the earlier spell count towards the 28 weeks, so enter them and the calculator takes them off.
Do it automatically in KivoHR.
14 days free, no card needed.