Sick (fit) notes

If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days

To request a sick note:

If you’ve been off sick for 7 days or less

If you’re off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead, they can ask you to confirm that you’ve been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. We call this self-certification.

Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.

You do not need to pay for a fit note if you’re off sick for more than 7 days.

If your employer asks for evidence for the first 7 days of sickness, a healthcare professional may charge a fee for this. Your employer should pay the fee.

If your some employers insist on a Doctor’s note regardless then under these circumstances it may involve a charge of £10.