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Calculating sickness absence pay including statutory sick pay
Calculating sickness absence pay including statutory sick pay
Rebecca Russell avatar
Written by Rebecca Russell
Updated over 6 months ago

Statutory sick pay (SSP) and sickness deductions can be complicated to calculate due to the various factors that need to be thought about, including:

  • The days your employee works

  • The length of their absence

  • Any linked periods of absence they may have

This article provides working examples of statutory sick pay and sickness deductions to help you understand how Payfit calculates absence for your employees.

A helpful glossary of statutory sickness terms can be found here. Or for information about how to add sick leaves in PayFit, please refer to our Help Centre article.

Example 1: Employee works Monday to Friday

Statutory sick pay

An employee is absent from work for 2 weeks:

  • There are 3 waiting days when statutory sick pay isn't payable

  • There are 7 qualifying days when statutory sick pay is payable

  • Daily SSP rate: £116.75 (weekly rate) / 5 days = £23.35 per day

  • Qualifying days: 7 days

  • Statutory sick pay due: £23.35 (daily rate) x 7 days = £163.45

Sickness deduction

  • The employee is absent for 10 working days

  • In the month they are off, there are 22 working days available.

  • The employee's monthly salary is £1,800.00

  • £1,800.00 divided by 22 working days = £81.82 per day

  • The employee has been at work for 12 working days, so the base pay due is £81.82 multiplied 12 = £981.84

Total absence calculation:

  • Statutory sick pay: £163.45

  • Base pay: £981.84

Example 2: Employee works Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Statutory sick pay

An employee is absent from work for 2 weeks:

  • There are 3 waiting days where statutory sick pay isn't payable

  • There are 4 qualifying days where statutory sick pay is payable

  • Daily SSP rate: £116.75 (weekly rate) / 3 days = £38.92 per day.

  • Qualifying days: 4 days

  • Statutory sick pay: £38.92 (daily rate) x 4 days = £155.68

Sickness deduction

The employee is absent for 6 working days

  • In the month they are off, there are 13 working days available (based on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only).

  • The employee's monthly salary is £950.00

  • £950.00 divided by 13 working days = £73.08 per day

  • The employee has been at work for 7 working days, so the base pay due is £73.08 multiplied 7 = £511.54

Total absence calculation

  • Statutory sick pay: £155.68

  • Base pay: £511.54

Example 3: Employee works Monday to Friday with a linked absence

Statutory sick pay

An employee is absent from work for 2 weeks and within the last 56 days the employee has also been off for an additional week in which they qualified for statutory sick pay:

  • There are no waiting days as the employee's absence is linked

  • There are 10 qualifying days where Statutory Sick Pay is payable

  • Daily SSP rate: £116.75 (weekly rate) / 5 days = £23.35 per day

  • Qualifying days: 10 days

  • Statutory sick pay: £23.35 (daily rate) x 10 days = £233.50

Sickness deduction

The employee is absent for 10 working days

  • In the month they are off, there are 22 working days available.

  • The employee's monthly salary is £1,800.00

  • £1,800.00 divided by 22 working days = £81.82 per day

  • The employee has worked 12 working days, so the base pay due is £81.82 multiplied 12 = £981.84

Total absence calculation:

  • Statutory sick pay: £233.50

  • Base pay: £981.84

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