00WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS

Seven days,
then a note.

A person working from a laptop at a sunny kitchen table with a mug of tea, seen from behind — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Most short illnesses need no note at all.

For the first 7 days off sick you can self-certify. After that, your employer needs a fit note from a healthcare professional. It's not just a sick note: it can also say how you could get back to work sooner.

7 DAYSyou can self-certifyUpdated 16 October 2026

Check your days

01Principles

Self-certify for 7 days
Then get a fit note
'May be fit' is an option
A note about work, not just illness

02THE SHORT ANSWER

Count the days,
including weekends.

Seven calendar days or less: self-certify.
More than seven: your employer needs a fit note.

SHORT ILLNESS

Self-certify for a week

You don't need a fit note if you're off sick for 7 calendar days or less, including weekends and bank holidays. Your employer may ask you to fill in form SC2.

Check your days

WHO ISSUES IT

Not only your GP

Since 2022, doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists can all certify fit notes, and they can be sent digitally.

See the numbers

MAY BE FIT

Back with changes

A fit note can say you 'may be fit for work' with a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations such as working from home.

Using the advice

General information only, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional.

03A QUICK DAYS CHECK

How long
have you been off?

Pick your situation to see what evidence you need. The bar shows how much paperwork is involved.

Based on DWP fit note guidance and GOV.UK guidance on Statutory Sick Pay. General information, not medical or legal advice.

Days check

Choose a situation7 days or lessUnder 7 days, but employer wants proofMore than 7 days in a rowWell enough for some work

7 days or lessSelf-certify

No fit note needed. Tell your employer by their deadline, or within 7 days if they haven't set one; form SC2 can be used if they want it in writing.

Under 7 days, but employer wants proofEmployer pays any fee

If your employer requires medical evidence for the first 7 days, the healthcare professional may charge a fee, which the employer should cover.

More than 7 days in a rowFit note needed

You must give your employer a fit note. It's free if you've been ill for more than 7 calendar days, and can be printed or digital.

Well enough for some work'May be fit for work'

The note can suggest a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. The options aren't binding: discuss them with your employer.

Sources: DWP, The fit note: guidance for patients and employees; GOV.UK, Statutory Sick Pay.

04TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

What a note
can unlock.

How long a fit note can run early on,
and the statutory sick pay it can support.

3 months

Longest single fit note in the first 6 months

In the first six months of a health condition, a fit note can only be issued for up to three months at a time. A review date can be set to reassess your condition.

LENGTH · DWP

£123.25

Statutory Sick Pay per week, up to 28 weeks

Or 80% of your normal weekly earnings if that is lower, paid by your employer for full days you'd normally work. You qualify after being ill for at least one full working day.

SICK PAY · GOV.UK

The fit note, or Med 3 form, was introduced in 2010. In 2022 the ink signature was replaced by the issuer's name and profession, allowing notes to be sent digitally.

05FOUR THINGS TO KNOW

Making the note
work for you.

The DWP guidance stresses that a fit note is advice to help you and your employer talk about staying in or returning to work.

Read the tick boxes and comments
They describe what you can do, such as 'take regular breaks if using a display screen'.
Talk it through with your employer
Discuss changes like a phased return, different duties, working from home or an occupational health assessment.
Keep the original
Your employer can take a copy, but the guidance says you should keep the original note.
Go back when you're ready
You can return before the note ends, with your employer's agreement, without seeing the healthcare professional again.

A glass mug of hot water with lemon, a box of tissues and a folded knitted blanket on a sofa in soft light — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

06WHAT A FIT NOTE ISN'T

Medical problems
only.

A stethoscope, a pen and a blank sheet of paper on a clinic desk in soft daylight — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A fit note can only be issued for medical problems, not for non-medical ones such as problems at home or relationship trouble at work. Healthcare professionals may point you to other support instead.

They also can't issue a note saying you are 'fit for work': if you are fit, you don't need one. A note without the issuer's name or signature is not valid and could be rejected by an employer or the DWP.

07Questions

Questions people ask

When do I need a fit note?

When you've been off sick for more than 7 days in a row, counting weekends and bank holidays. For 7 days or less you can self-certify.

Who can give me a fit note?

Doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists can all certify fit notes, if they are involved in your care and it's appropriate.

Do I have to pay for a fit note?

Not if you've been ill for more than 7 calendar days. If your employer wants medical evidence for the first 7 days, a fee may be charged, and the employer should cover it.

What does 'may be fit for work' mean?

That you could do some work with support, such as a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations. These suggestions are not binding; discuss them with your employer.

Can I go back to work before my fit note runs out?

Yes. You can go back whenever you feel able, with your employer's agreement, without seeing your healthcare professional again.

08Sources

Seven days,
then a note.