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Claim for Statutory Sick Pay from the First Day of Sickness
[YOUR FULL NAME]
[YOUR ADDRESS]
[EMAIL] · [PHONE]
National Insurance number: [NI NUMBER]
[EMPLOYER'S NAME]
For the attention of: [MANAGER / PAYROLL CONTACT]
[EMPLOYER'S ADDRESS]
[DATE]
Dear [NAME],
Statutory Sick Pay for my absence from [FIRST DAY OF SICKNESS]
I work for you as [JOB TITLE], employee number [NUMBER], usually on [YOUR NORMAL WORKING DAYS, FOR EXAMPLE MONDAY TO WEDNESDAY]. I was unable to work because of sickness from [FIRST DAY OF SICKNESS] to [LAST DAY OF SICKNESS / "TODAY, AND I AM STILL OFF"]. I told [NAME OF PERSON] on [DATE AND HOW: PHONE / EMAIL / APP]. [I ENCLOSE A FIT NOTE DATED (DATE).]
You have told me that Statutory Sick Pay is not payable because:
( ) my earnings are below the lower earnings limit;
( ) the first three days of sickness are unpaid "waiting days";
( ) [OTHER REASON GIVEN].
These rules no longer apply. From 6 April 2026, as amended by the Employment Rights Act 2025:
section 155(1) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (waiting days) has been omitted, so SSP is payable from my first qualifying day of sickness;
a period of incapacity for work can be a single day (section 152(2));
paragraph 2(c) of Schedule 11 (earnings below the lower earnings limit) has been omitted;
the weekly rate is the lower of £123.25 and 80% of my normal weekly earnings (section 157(1)).
[IF RELEVANT: I was already off sick before 6 April 2026, from (DATE). The transitional rules in S.I. 2026/373 apply to my case.]
I have done work for you under my contract, and my absence was reported in time. Under section 151(2) any agreement excluding or limiting SSP is void.
I ask you to:
pay me SSP for [NUMBER] qualifying days from [FIRST DAY OF SICKNESS] to [LAST DAY OF SICKNESS] in my next pay on [PAY DATE];
if you refuse SSP for any day, give me a written statement of the days you accept, the reasons for refusing the others and the amount you consider due, as required by section 14(3) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992;
if you consider that I do not qualify at all, send me form SSP1.
Yours sincerely,
____________________
[YOUR FULL NAME]
For me
[ ] Sickness reported by the employer's deadline, or within 7 days: [DATE]
[ ] Fit note given if off more than 7 days in a row (non-working days count)
[ ] My normal weekly earnings: £[AMOUNT]; 80% = £[AMOUNT]; weekly SSP = the lower of that and £123.25
[ ] Not paid on the next payday: contact the HMRC Statutory Payment Disputes Team with this letter and the reply