Sick & Maternity Pay Calculator

Estimate your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for any period of leave. Uses official 2025/26 statutory rates.

SSP £116.75/week 2025/26 SMP £184.03/week 2025/26 Free — no account needed

Your Pay Details

£
£100/wk – £3,000/wk
Your average weekly earnings must be at least £123/week (the Lower Earnings Limit) to qualify for SSP. For SMP, you need at least £123/week averaged over 8 weeks.

SSP Sick Pay Details

1 week – 28 weeks
Note: SSP starts from the 4th day of absence — the first 3 days (waiting days) are not paid. Maximum entitlement is 28 weeks. Rate for 2025/26: £116.75/week.

Your Estimated Pay

Fill in your details and press Calculate to see your statutory pay estimate.

Total Statutory Pay
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How SSP & SMP Work

Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Pay are minimum entitlements set by UK law. Your employer pays them (and can usually reclaim SMP from HMRC). Here is how each one is calculated for 2025/26.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

SSP is paid by your employer when you are too ill to work. To qualify you must:

The first 3 days of any spell of sickness are unpaid "waiting days". SSP then pays £116.75 per week for up to a maximum of 28 weeks. Your employer may pay more via an enhanced contractual sick pay policy, but cannot pay less than the statutory minimum.

If you have had multiple periods of sickness within the last 8 weeks (56 days) they may be linked together, reducing your remaining SSP entitlement.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

SMP is paid by your employer for up to 39 weeks if you are eligible. To qualify you must:

SMP is structured in two phases:

Your AWE is calculated from your gross earnings (including bonuses and overtime) paid in the 8 weeks (or 2 months if paid monthly) before the qualifying week. Employers can reclaim 92% of SMP from HMRC (or 103% for small employers).

Worked Examples

SSP — 2-Week Illness (after waiting days)

Waiting daysDays 1–3 (unpaid)
SSP rate£116.75/week
Qualifying days11 days (÷7×£116.75)
Calculation£116.75 ÷ 7 × 11
Total SSP received£183.47

SMP — Higher Earner (£40,000/yr)

AWE£769.23/week
Wks 1–6 at 90% AWE£692.31/wk = £4,153.85
Wks 7–39 (statutory cap)£184.03/wk × 33 wks
Weeks 7–39 total£6,072.99
Total SMP (39 wks)£10,226.84

SMP — Lower Earner (£22,000/yr)

AWE£423.08/week
Wks 1–6 at 90% AWE£380.77/wk = £2,284.62
Wks 7–39 (90% beats stat)£380.77/wk × 33 wks
Weeks 7–39 total£12,565.41
Total SMP (39 wks)£14,850.03

2025/26 Statutory Pay Reference Rates

Payment Type Rate / Threshold Weekly Amount
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Flat rate, weeks 1–28 £116.75
Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) Minimum average weekly pay to qualify £123.00
Statutory Maternity Pay — Phase 1 90% of AWE, weeks 1–6 Varies
Statutory Maternity Pay — Phase 2 Weeks 7–39 (lower of 90% AWE or statutory) £184.03
Max SSP duration Any period of incapacity for work 28 weeks
Max SMP duration Paid maternity leave 39 weeks
SSP waiting days First days of absence (unpaid) 3 days

Rates apply from April 2025. Source: GOV.UK — Statutory Sick Pay and GOV.UK — Maternity Pay and Leave.

Important Notes

SSP Waiting DaysSSP does not start until day 4 of illness. The first 3 days (waiting days) are unpaid unless your employer has a more generous contractual sick pay policy that covers them.
LEL RequirementYou must earn at least £123/week on average (the Lower Earnings Limit) to qualify for SSP or SMP. If you fall below this threshold, no statutory sick pay is due — though you may be eligible for Maternity Allowance via the DWP.
Contractual Sick PayMany employers offer enhanced sick pay beyond statutory rates — for example, full pay for the first four weeks, then half pay. Check your contract or staff handbook. This calculator shows statutory minimums only.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many weeks of SSP am I entitled to?
You can receive SSP for a maximum of 28 weeks in any single period of incapacity for work. If you have multiple separate periods of sickness that are linked (within 8 weeks of each other), they count together towards the 28-week maximum. Once exhausted, your employer must issue an SSP1 form and you may be eligible for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance.
Can my employer pay less than SSP?
No. SSP at £116.75/week is the legal minimum — your employer cannot legally pay you less. However, they can choose to pay more through an enhanced contractual sick pay scheme. If your employer refuses to pay SSP and you believe you are eligible, you can contact HMRC who have powers to investigate and enforce payment.
What counts as a qualifying day for SSP?
A qualifying day is a day you are contracted to work. SSP is paid for qualifying days only — not for days you wouldn't normally work. Your contract or rota defines your qualifying days. If you work Monday to Friday, those are your five qualifying days per week. SSP is calculated at £116.75 ÷ 7 per day for the qualifying days you miss from day 4 onwards.
Does SSP affect my entitlement to Universal Credit?
Yes. SSP counts as earned income for Universal Credit purposes. The UC earnings taper (55p reduction per £1 earned above the work allowance) applies to your SSP in the same way as wages. You must report any changes to your income, including SSP, to the DWP. SSP does not automatically trigger additional UC health-related elements — you may need to make a separate claim.
When does SMP start?
The earliest SMP can start is 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth (EWC). Most commonly it starts the day after you stop working. If you are off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the 4 weeks before your due date, your employer can trigger the start of SMP automatically from the first day of that absence.
Can I work during my SMP period?
You can work up to 10 Keeping in Touch (KIT) days during your SMP period without losing your SMP entitlement for those days. Any day you work during maternity leave — including a KIT day — counts as a whole KIT day. Working more than 10 KIT days will end your SMP entitlement for any week in which you work beyond the limit. KIT days must be agreed with your employer in advance.

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