Claiming Sick Pay and Maternity Leave in the UK: What Every Worker Should Know

It’s important to know your rights at work, especially if you want to make sure you can still make money when you can’t work because you’re sick or pregnant.

Legal protections in the UK make sure that workers can get sick pay and maternity leave when they need it the most.

This guide will walk you through how to claim these entitlements, what you need to qualify, and what steps you should take if your claim is denied.

Learn About Your Right to Sick Pay

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is something that employees and some workers in the UK are entitled to if they meet certain requirements.

This makes sure you have at least some money when you’re sick and can’t work. There are also a lot of employers who offer their own occupational or contractual sick pay plans, which are sometimes better than SSP.

Eligibility for Statutory Sick Pay

To be eligible for SSP, you generally need to meet the following conditions:

• Be classed as an employee: This includes most agency workers and those on zero-hour contracts. SSP is not available to people who are self-employed.
• Make at least the following amount of money: This is about £125 a week for the tax year 2025–2026. The amount of money you made in the eight weeks before you got sick is taken into account.
• Have been sick for at least four days in a row: These include days when people don’t have to work and are called “periods of incapacity for work.” The first three qualifying days of sickness are known as ‘waiting days’ and are usually unpaid under SSP rules.
• Provide notice to your employer: You must inform your employer that you are sick within any timeframe they have set, or within seven days if they haven’t specified a period.

How to Claim Statutory Sick Pay

Claiming SSP is usually a straightforward process:

1. Inform your employer: As soon as you are unable to work due to illness, notify your employer according to their reporting procedures (e.g., phone call, email). Make sure to do this within the required timeframe.
2. Self-certification: You can “self-certify” for the first seven days of sickness, even if you don’t work.  In other words, you don’t need to show a note from your doctor.  When you get back to work, your boss may ask you to fill out a form.
3. Fit note (sick note): A “fit note” (also called a “sick note”) is something you will need if you are sick for more than seven days. You can get one from your doctor, a hospital doctor, a registered nurse, an occupational therapist, a pharmacist, or a physiotherapist.  This note will tell you if you are “not fit for work” or “may be fit for work” with changes that need to be made.
4. Employer’s responsibility: If you are eligible, your employer is legally obliged to pay you SSP from the fourth qualifying day of your illness for up to 28 weeks. SSP is paid at a flat rate, which for the tax year 2025–2026 is £118.75 per week. It’s paid to you like pay, with tax and National Insurance taken out.

What if You Are Not Eligible for SSP?

If you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for SSP, your employer must inform you in writing, usually using an SSP1 form.

In such cases, you may be entitled to other forms of financial support, such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit. You can find more information about these benefits on the GOV.UK website.

Also Read: Applying for Healthcare Access And Benefits in the UK: What You Need to Know

Finding Out If You Are Eligible for Maternity Leave

Becoming a parent is a big deal, and knowing your rights to this leave is important for making plans for that time. 

People who work in the UK and are eligible can get Statutory Maternity Leave (SML) and may also get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA).

Statutory Maternity Leave (SML)

All employees in the UK have the right to take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave, regardless of how long they have worked for their employer. This leave is divided into two parts:

• Ordinary Maternity Leave (OML): The first 26 weeks.
• Additional Maternity Leave (AML): The following 26 weeks.

You must take at least two weeks of leave after the baby is born (or four weeks if you work in a factory). You can choose when to start your maternity leave, but it cannot begin earlier than 11 weeks before your expected week of childbirth.

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

To be eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, you need to meet the following criteria:

• Be an employee: Similar to SSP, this generally excludes self-employed individuals.
• Have worked for your employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the ‘qualifying week’ – the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth.
• Earn an average of at least £125 per week (before tax) for the eight weeks leading up to the qualifying week.
• Provide your employer with proof of pregnancy: Send a letter from your doctor or midwife confirming your pregnancy, or get a MATB1 certificate, which you should receive about 20 weeks into your pregnancy, and give it to your employer as proof of pregnancy.
• Give your employer at least fifteen weeks’ notice (or as soon as reasonably possible) before you expect to give birth if you plan to take maternity leave. Also, be sure to specify when you would like your SMP to begin.

What does statutory maternity pay amount to?

SMP can last up to 39 weeks and is determined in the following way:

• Weeks one through six: Ninety percent of your average weekly income (up to a certain limit).
• For the next 33 weeks, you’ll pay either £187.18 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (this amount might change in subsequent tax years; it was last set for taxes year 2025/2026).

SMP is paid in the same way as your salary, and tax and National Insurance will be deducted. The final 13 weeks of your 52-week maternity leave are usually unpaid unless your employer offers a more generous contractual maternity pay scheme.

Maternity Allowance (MA)

Maternity Allowance is an alternative to SMP that you may be able to qualify for if your earnings are too low or you haven’t been working long enough. The government is footing the bill for this benefit.  To be eligible for MA, you generally need to:

• Have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby’s due date.
• Have earned at least £30 in total for any 13 of those weeks.

How much is Maternity Allowance?

The amount of MA you can get depends on your earnings and National Insurance contributions. For most people, it is £187.18 per week for up to 39 weeks (for the tax year 2025/2026; this figure may be subject to change in future tax years).

Claim Your Maternity Leave and Earnings

1. Notify your supervisor: If you are planning to take maternity leave, inform your employer of your pregnancy and the specific dates you would like it to begin. Do this at least fifteen weeks before your due date for best results.
2. Provide proof of pregnancy: Submit your MATB1 certificate or a letter from your doctor or midwife to your employer.
3. Employer’s responsibilities: Your employer should confirm your start and end dates for maternity leave and inform you about your entitlement to SMP within 28 days of you telling them.
4. How to Get Maternity Allowance: If you can’t get SMP, you’ll need to get Maternity Allowance directly from the government, usually through Jobcentre Plus. Most of the time, you will need to show proof of your income and work history.

Important Things to Think About During Maternity and Sick Leave

• Protecting workers’ rights at work:  When you’re on sick leave or maternity leave, most of your job rights are still protected, like the right to earn vacation time.
• Going back to work after maternity leave:  You can go back to the same job after 26 weeks of maternity leave or less.  You can go back to the same job or a similar job with the same terms and conditions if you take more than 26 weeks off.
• Keeping in Touch (KIT) days: You can agree with your boss to work up to 10 “Keeping in Touch” days while you’re on maternity leave and not lose your SMP or MA.
• Illness during maternity leave: If you become ill during your maternity pay period, you cannot usually claim SSP. However, if your illness starts after your maternity pay period ends, you may be eligible for SSP.
• Antenatal appointments: Pregnant employees have the right to paid time off for antenatal appointments.

Also Read: Step-by-Step Guide: Claiming Child Benefit in the UK 

Concluding Remarks: Gathering Knowledge on Workers’ Rights in the United Kingdom

Understanding your rights as a worker in the United Kingdom with regard to sick pay and maternity leave will help you secure the support you need during significant life events.  

Knowing your rights, the procedures for claiming benefits, and the eligibility requirements can help you confidently and securely navigate these situations.

If you have any particular queries or concerns regarding your sick pay or maternity leave entitlements, make sure to inform your employer in a clear and concise manner and consult reputable sources such as GOV.UK or ACAS for further guidance.