Ringing in sick
If you need to let your employer know that you’re too unwell to attend work, you should follow the procedure set out in your employment contract. Some companies have a formal procedure in place where you’ll be required to log your absence on a system, while others may simply accept a call to your manager.
When to ring in sick
You should let your employer know that you won’t be in work as soon as possible. This will give them the opportunity to cover your shift and delegate your workload, if necessary.
It’s good practise to make the call before your working day begins. If you start at 9am, don’t wait until midday to call; by this time, it’s likely that your colleagues will be wondering where you are.
Of course, there are exceptions to this, such as if you’re in hospital, or dealing with a serious emergency. In these instances, your employer will likely understand that updating them will not be your priority. However, for general, non-serious illness and issues, it’s best to get in touch as soon as you can.
If you’re on long-term sick
If you’re taking prolonged time away from work due to illness, you should keep your employer updated. Depending on the circumstances, you’ll typically be required to send notes from your doctor to enable your employer to pay you.
Your financial rights when you’re too sick to work
The financial options available to you if you’re too sick to work vary depending on your employer, the circumstances, and your period of absence. Again, your company’s sickness policy is something you can find in your contract of employment or through your HR department.
- Contractual sick pay (CSP)
Your employer might have their own payment regulations surrounding sick pay, and if they do offer CSP, the amount of money you could be paid will vary from company to company. For example, if your period of absence is covered by CSP, you could be paid your standard wage for all or some of your period of absence. You may need to have worked for your employer for a certain amount of time before you’re eligible for CSP. - Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
If you’re employed and earn an average of at least £125 per week after tax, you could be eligible for SSP beginning on the fourth day of your period of absence. You’ll get £118.75 for up to 28 weeks.
Benefits for people out of work
If you’re expecting to be out of work for a significant amount of time, you might have wondered, ‘what benefits are available for people on long-term sick?’.
- Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
Whether you’re employed, self-employed, or unemployed, you could get ESA if you have a health condition or disability that affects how much you’re able to work. The amount of money you could get through ESA will depend on several factors, including your age and working status.
While your ESA application is being assessed, you’ll get £72.90 a week if you’re under the age of 25, and £92.05 if you’re over the age of 25. Once your ESA application has been approved, you’ll get up to £92.05 a week if you’re expected to return to work in the future. If you don’t expect to return to work, you could get up to £140.55 a week.
Please be aware that claiming ESA will affect any potential SSP payments that you could be entitled to.
Find out more about ESA and how to make a claim here. - Universal Credit
If you’re on a low income, out of work, or unable to work, you could be eligible to claim Universal Credit. To make a claim, you must live in the UK; be under State Pension age; have £16,000 or less in money, savings and investments; and be aged 18 or over – although there are certain exceptions if you’re aged between 16 and 17.
As with ESA, the amount of Universal Credit you’ll be paid will depend on a number of factors, including how much money you earn if you’re working.
You can use the free Turn2Us Benefits Calculator to give you an idea of how much money you could get through Universal Credit.
Find out more about Universal Credit and how to make a claim here.
Can I claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if I’m on long-term sick?
Yes, you could claim PIP if you’re off work on long-term sick, although it’s also worth noting that you could still claim PIP even if you are working.
To be eligible for PIP, you must:
- Be over the age of 16.
- Be under State Pension age if this is your first time making a claim.
- Have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.
- Experience difficulties when carrying out everyday tasks because of your condition or disability; and
- Expect these difficulties to continue for at least 12 months after their onset.
If eligible for PIP, the amount of money you’ll get will depend on how much your disability or condition affects your everyday life.
PIP is split into two parts: daily living and mobility. Daily living refers to everyday activities, such as managing your money, bathing, and dressing. Mobility covers aspects including leaving your home and physically moving around.
For the daily living part of the PIP payment, the lower weekly rate is £73.90, and the higher is £110.40. The lower weekly rate for the mobility part is £29.20, and the higher is £77.05.
What are my rights if I’m on a zero-hour contract?
‘Can you get sick pay on a zero-hour contract?’ is a frequently asked question.
You could qualify for SSP if you’re on a zero-hour contract; however, you’ll need to make sure that you meet the full eligibility criteria, which can be found here.
Mental health rights in the workplace
According to Mind, 1 in 4 people in England will experience a mental health condition each year. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) state that employers have a duty of care to support the safety, wellbeing and health - including mental health - of staff. Employers must view physical and mental health of equal importance.
This means that in terms of taking time off and being paid, someone with a mental health condition is entitled to the same rights as someone with a physical health condition.
Employers must consider reasonable adjustments for staff struggling with their mental health. Reasonable adjustments could include offering the employee time off to attend relevant appointments or enabling them to work from home if it benefits their mental health and is suitable to the job role.
Can I be sacked for taking time off sick?
As long as you follow your company’s procedure, you should not be sacked for taking the odd day off for genuine illness.
You could be sacked for persistently taking time off sick; however, this is not something that should come out of the blue and your employer should try to support you and your circumstances before they consider terminating your contract.
If you have a disability, which in certain cases could include a long-term illness, your employer must support you. Being dismissed from your place of work because of a disability could be unlawful discrimination.
You can find out more about challenging your dismissal on the Citizens Advice website.
What financial help is available if I’m ill and self-employed?
If you’re self-employed and unable to work due to sickness, you could be eligible to claim both ESA and Universal Credit. Please refer to the ‘Benefits for people out of work’ section further up the page for more information on ESA and Universal Credit.
Can I get SSP if I’m self-employed?
Unfortunately, no. SSP is not available for self-employed workers.
I’m worried about money; where can I get help?
Please know that you can discuss any money or debt related worries with the following organisations, who offer free, confidential advice: StepChange, MoneyHelper, Citizens Advice, and National Debtline.
The bottom line
63% of UK workers admit to working through illness out of guilt, with 44% further saying that they feel pressured not to take sick leave.
Whether it’s a period of one day or a longer term, if you’re genuinely too unwell to carry out your job, you should not feel pressured into working. Your employer has no right to make you feel guilty about taking time off when you need it.
It’s also important to note that stress brought on by work can have many negative effects on both mental and physical health. If your workload or working environment are contributing to your ill-health, you should speak to your employer as soon as you can and give them the opportunity to make reasonable adjustments for you. As discussed, your employer has a duty of care to ensure that you feel safe and supported in your place of work.
Remember, work is important - but so is your health.