How long can you self-certify sick in the UK? The 7-day rule explained

How long can you self-certify sick in the UK?

For the first 7 calendar days of any sickness absence, an employee's own word - given in writing - is all the evidence the law expects. No GP appointment, no fit note, no phone queue at 8am. Only if the absence continues into an 8th day does the employee need a fit note from a healthcare professional; gov.uk's sick leave guidance sets this out.

This matters for both sides. Employees shouldn't be sent to a doctor for a two-day stomach bug, and employers shouldn't wait on paperwork that isn't legally required before recording the absence and paying sick pay.

How are the 7 days counted?

In calendar days, not working days - this is the bit that catches people out. Weekends, bank holidays and non-working days all count towards the 7. Here's a worked example for someone who works Monday to Friday and falls ill on a Friday:

So although this person only missed six working days, their self-certification window still runs out on the Thursday - because the weekend counted.

What does self-certifying actually involve?

Very little, deliberately. The employee confirms in writing the dates they were unwell and the reason for the absence. Employers have two equally valid options:

Good practice is to complete it on the day the employee returns - it takes two minutes and pairs naturally with a return-to-work conversation.

Can an employer ask for a fit note before day 8?

An employer cannot require an NHS fit note for the first 7 calendar days - the self-certification rule is the employee's statutory position. What an employer can do is ask for earlier private medical evidence, but only at the employer's own cost: if you want a doctor's certificate on day 3, you arrange and pay for it. You can't withhold SSP or discipline someone simply for not producing a fit note the law says they don't yet need.

From day 8, a fit note is the standard evidence. Worth knowing: since 2022 fit notes can be issued digitally with no wet signature, and by a wider group of professionals - GPs, hospital doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists. A fit note says either "not fit for work" or "may be fit for work" with suggested adjustments such as a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. You don't have to follow the suggestions - but if you can't accommodate them, the note is treated as "not fit for work".

Is there a self-cert sick note or form?

There is no official government "self-cert sick note". Self-certification is simply the employee's own written statement - most employers use a short form capturing the dates, the reason in the person's own words, and a signature (in CoDash it's built into reporting the absence). From day 8 the fit note takes over - and note the SSP changes from April 2026 affect what the first days cost you as an employer.

What about repeated short absences?

Self-certification is trust-based, and the honest truth is that most people don't abuse it - but patterns of frequent short, self-certified absence are worth noticing supportively. The fair way to do that is with consistent recording and transparent trigger points that apply to everyone, rather than singling anyone out. A measure like the Bradford Factor can surface a pattern early, so long as it prompts a conversation ("is everything OK?") and never automatic discipline - and so long as disability- and pregnancy-related absence is handled with care. Acas's absence guidance is the benchmark for doing this fairly.

Remember the flip side: an employee who is genuinely ill several times in a year has done nothing wrong, and repeated illness can itself be a sign someone needs support, not scrutiny.

How does SSP work during self-certified absence?

Since 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay is payable from day one of sickness - the three unpaid waiting days were abolished - and the Lower Earnings Limit was removed, so all employees qualify regardless of earnings. The weekly rate is the lower of £123.25 or 80% of the employee's average weekly earnings, payable for up to 28 weeks per period of incapacity (see business.gov.uk).

That makes accurate self-certification more important than it used to be: the form is normally all the evidence you need to pay SSP for the first 7 calendar days, and the dates on it now drive pay from the very first day. Our guide to the SSP changes from April 2026 covers the numbers, and the SSP cost calculator lets you model your own team.

Frequently asked questions