Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for Part-Time Workers

Croner covers sick pay for part-time staff. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) in this instance is £118.75 per week for a maximum of 28 weeks during any sickness period. This amount represents the legal minimum sick pay that must be provided.

Employers cannot legally offer a lower rate. Part-time employees are entitled to SSP. However, this only applies if they fulfil the qualifying criteria. However, employers should note that SSP is set to increase to £123.25 per week from April 2026, along with other changes (e.g., payable from day one with no waiting days, the removal of the Lower Earnings Limit for eligibility, and a shift to the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or the flat rate for some calculations in transitional cases.).

• Statutory Sick Pay eligibility
• Sick pay rates
• How to work out Statutory Sick Pay for part timers
• Are there any other types of sick pay for part-time workers?

What does ‘part-time worker’ mean?

A part-time employee works fewer hours than a full-time employee. There are no legal definitions of ‘full-time’ and ‘part-time’. The hours associated with both will depend on your industry and business type. However, 35 hours or more per week is typically considered 'full-time'.

Like full-time workers, part-time workers’ entitlements include:

• Statutory entitlements, such as Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
• Promotions and career development.
• Holidays entitlements/annual leave.
• National Insurance contributions.
• Career break opportunities.
• Training and development.

There are some instances where you don’t need to treat part-time employees in the same way as full-time staff. But you need to prove there is a valid reason for the difference in treatment. This is called ‘objective justification’.

For example, you can justify exclusively providing health insurance for your full-time staff. But, the cost may not be sustainable for non-full-time staff.

However, you could offer an alternative to make up for this; part-timers could contribute toward a portion of the insurance, whilst you cover the rest.

Statutory Sick Pay eligibility

You may be wondering “do I still need to pay sick pay if my staff don’t work full-time?”

In a word, yes.

Part-time employees are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay, providing they meet the qualifying criteria. If your sick pay policy and employment contracts haven't been formalised to include this, then they need updating.

Sick pay rates

SSP is paid to staff if they:

• Earn more than £118.75 per week.
• Have been off work for three consecutive days of sickness/period off work.

This only applies to employees who work for your company. You don’t need to provide SSP for self-employed contractors.

Part-time employees are only paid SSP for qualifying days – the days they are contracted to work.

Example: A part-time employee works only one day a week, on Wednesdays. They are off sick on Wednesday of their first week in the working month. As this is fewer than 4 non-consecutive days, it does not count as a Period of Incapacity for Work (PIW) and no SSP is payable. To create a PIW and qualify for SSP, they would need to take three consecutive Wednesdays off during the month. If they are still off on the fourth Wednesday, they would qualify for SSP as the waiting days will then have been served.

Important exception – linked PIWs:

Normally the first 3 qualifying days in a PIW (the “waiting days”) are unpaid. However, if the employee has received SSP for a previous PIW that ended within the last 8 weeks (56 days), the PIWs link and the waiting days may be waived. SSP is then payable from the first qualifying day of the new illness.

Remember:

If you don’t provide pay to staff eligible for statutory sick pay, they can claim it as an unlawful deduction of wages. That can lead to an employment tribunal, and funds can be forcibly recuperated by the HMRC.

Need tribunal support? Our Legal Services department can represent your business in Employment Tribunal claims. Call 01455 858 132.

A note on the Employment Rights Act 2025

The above rates apply for the tax year 6 April 2025 to 5 April 2026. As of April 2026, the sick pay qualification rate will increase to £123.25 per week, along with other changes, such as: 

• SSP to be payable from day one, instead of after the qualifying period (no waiting days)
• The removal of the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) for SSP eligibility. 

Employers are advised to plan for these changes ahead of time by updating their contracts, policies, and documentation. 

How to work out Statutory Sick Pay for part timers

Currently, sick leave pay is £118.75 a week for up to 28 weeks per period of sickness. This rate is the minimum amount of sick pay you can legally provide. You can’t offer sick pay at a lower rate for qualifying staff.

Are there any other types of sick pay for part-time workers?

Your part-time employees might be eligible for full sick pay covering all their sick days, depending on their contract. This refers to Occupational Sick Pay (OSP), which you should outline in your company policy.

Your employee will need to provide a statement of fitness for work from their doctor, or other healthcare professional, if they have been sick for more than seven consecutive calendar days. However, this would only apply in the case of SSP, and not necessarily Occupational Sick Pay (OSP), which will depend on your company’s policy on the matter.

Fitness for work statements (often called a ‘sick note’ or ‘fit note’) explain how long the doctor expects your member of staff to be off work for.

If your part-time employees are off sick for seven days or fewer, you can ask them to fill in a self-certification form when they come back to work. This will include information about their sickness or injury.

Get expert advice

Contact us today for support with sickness and absence policies within your business on 01455 858 132.