Get a fit/sick note
What you need to do (including what form you need to fill in) depends on the numbers of days of illness you have had and if you are under hospital care.
7 days off sick or less
You do not need a sick note from your GP practice if you are sick for under 7 days.
From Citizens Advice
Very clear guidance what you should do if you are sick under 7 days, including a link to the SC2 form (which you can fill in and download) if your employer is unable to supply one and information on who you can phone for advice about sick pay
How to get sick pay How to get sick pay – Citizens Advice
From HMRC
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Employee’s statement of sickness form you can
Download and fill in for your employer:
Private medical certificate (sick note)
Occasionally employers insist on a sick note from your GP even when this is not required and you can instead fill in a self-certificate for less than 7 days illness. A fit/sick note requested by your employer in this situation will involve a charge. The present charge for a private medical (sick note) certificate can normally be found under private fee charges under Non-NHS Private Services.
More than 7 days off sick
If you’re off work sick for more than 7 days, your employer will usually ask for a fit note (or Statement of Fitness for Work) from a healthcare professional. Fit notes are sometimes referred to as medical statements or a doctor’s note or a sick note. There is no charge for this certificate. There is a Processing time of 5 days for Sick Note and Instructions.
Already seen by your GP about this illness
If you have already been seen by your GP about this illness and you subsequently need a certificate this will be available within a week on request.
Request for an extension of a previous fit note
On occasions if you have already had a fit note for the same illness then your GP may not need to see you to issue a new fit note.
Request a sick (fit) note form
In both circumstances you can request a sick (fit) note using our online form.
Complete and submit the online form:
We will contact you to let you know when the fit (sick) note is available or alternatively to arrange an appointment for a review of the illness with your GP if that is thought to be necessary before the issuing of a fit note.
Under the care of a hospital doctor – inpatient or outpatient
Hospital attendances and more than 7 days off sick
As is explained under Fit Notes for any hospital inpatient stay (NHS or private) you should get the fit note from the team looking after you. In addition, if you are seen in hospital outpatients your consultant can complete a fit note at that point, if they think you should be off work.
Understand fit/sick notes
Under Fit Note there are detailed answers to some common questions often asked about fit notes including:
- What are they, when can you fill in a self-certificate yourself without seeing a doctor and when might you need one from a doctor?
- Who should fill them in if you have been in hospital (NHS or private)?
- When can a doctor complete a fit note without seeing you?
Support for a return to work
There is also local support for work, including returning to work after a longer absence under work. See section “Local support -self-referral” for employment support which includes local employment advice and guidance to support you in employment whether you are currently in work, off sick due to mental ill-health or unemployed.
