Statutory Sick Pay runs out: what happens next?

In the UK Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) ends after 28 weeks. In the US there is no federal sick pay that keeps paying in the same way. So the question of what comes next is worth planning before the money stops. You track sick days and how your condition runs on paper or in Sam's symptom diary, where one tap a day adds symptoms and sick days. The monthly report shows the course when you claim or meet your employer. This is general information, not legal advice.

This text is general information, not legal advice for your claim. Benefits, employers and agencies differ, and the rules change. For a UK question, Citizens Advice, Acas and your Jobcentre Plus can help. For a US question, the Social Security Administration, your state labor department and an employment or benefits lawyer can help.

What happens when Statutory Sick Pay ends?

In the UK your employer pays SSP at £123.25 a week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower. Payment runs for up to 28 weeks, then the employer stops. After that you may qualify for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), depending on your circumstances. You can also talk to your employer about returning.

You normally need a fit note once you have been off more than 7 days. Keep the notes, because they matter for benefit claims and for conversations with your employer.

Which UK benefits can you claim after SSP?

Two benefits come up most often. Universal Credit is a monthly payment for people on a low income, out of work or unable to work. It can include a health-related amount if your ability to work is limited, but the rules differ depending on whether you reported your condition before 6 April 2026, so check the current amounts on GOV.UK.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is for a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. A claim involves a work capability assessment. ESA can give money for living costs and support to get back into work.

Which benefit applies, and how much, depends on your earnings, savings and circumstances. Use a benefits calculator, and check with the agency or Citizens Advice before any deadline.

What about fit notes and returning to work in the UK?

Even after SSP ends you can still hold a job, and many people return gradually. A fit note can say "may be fit for work", and your employer should discuss changes such as different hours or tasks. If your condition is a disability, your employer must make reasonable adjustments so you are not substantially disadvantaged.

Your employer cannot treat you worse because of a protected reason such as disability, and a dismissal has to be fair. GOV.UK says dismissing someone who is long-term sick should be a last resort, so an employer should look at ways to help you back to work first. For a wider checklist of what helps at the next steps, see our doctor visit checklist for a chronic condition.

Is there federal paid sick leave in the US?

The US has no federal law that requires employers to pay sick leave. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects your job for up to 12 workweeks in a 12-month period, but it is unpaid. When your own paid time off runs out, no federal money keeps paying.

So the US picture for long-term sickness is a mix of federal programs, state programs and private insurance. Each has its own rules, and none is automatic.

Can SSDI help if you cannot work long term in the US?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays monthly benefits when you cannot do your previous work and cannot adjust to other work. Your condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or to result in death. You must also meet the Social Security work and earnings requirements.

Timing matters. There is a five-month waiting period, and benefits can begin in the sixth full month after your disability starts. The Social Security Administration decides, not your doctor or employer. Apply early and gather your records.

What do FMLA, state leave and disability insurance cover in the US?

FMLA gives eligible employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period. Your employer must restore you to the same or an equivalent job. When those 12 weeks end, FMLA job protection ends for that period. For the certification side, see our guide to intermittent FMLA for migraine and epilepsy.

Several states run their own paid family and medical leave or state disability programs. Some employers offer private short-term and long-term disability insurance that replaces part of your income. Check with your state labor department, your HR team and your insurer about what covers you.

Who advises you in the UK and the US?

In the UK, Citizens Advice and Acas are independent and free to use. Your Jobcentre Plus and a Disability Employment Adviser can help with returning to work, and an employment or benefits lawyer helps in a dispute.

In the US, the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division handles FMLA, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission handles the ADA, and the Social Security Administration handles SSDI. Your state labor department covers state programs, and an employment or benefits lawyer can look at your whole situation.

Track your sick days and the course of your condition

You bring a dated record of how long you have been off and how the condition runs, instead of rebuilding months from memory.

• Instead of loose notes: in Sam's symptom diary one tap a day adds symptoms and sick days, and the monthly report shows the course when you claim or meet your employer.
• Instead of a paper pile: sick days keep your absence dates together, and medication shows what you took and when, with reminders for scheduled daily doses.
• Instead of going through it alone: if you share with a partner, Friends & Family sharing lets them see your recorded days read-only, so a claim call has your dates beside you.

Sam counts no weeks and chases no deadlines. The benefit dates and figures come from the agency or your employer.

Try Sam Health

Sam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. The app does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition or health state. Always consult qualified professionals for medical decisions.

General information, not legal advice. Laws, deadlines and agency practice change, and your case may differ. Before applications, deadlines and conversations with employers, insurers or agencies, get advice from an adviser or lawyer.

Related reading

• How intermittent FMLA works and what documentation you need
• Doctor visit checklist for a chronic condition
• How to share wearable health data with your doctor

Sources

Updated: October 2026

• GOV.UK: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), What you'll get and SSP: employer guide
• GOV.UK: Taking sick leave (fit notes and proof of sickness)
• GOV.UK: Universal Credit, What you'll get and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• GOV.UK: Reasonable adjustments for workers with disabilities or health conditions and Dismissals due to illness
• Citizens Advice: Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division: Fact Sheet #28, The Family and Medical Leave Act (revised March 2025) and Federal vs. State Family and Medical Leave laws
• Social Security Administration: How someone becomes eligible for disability benefits , Approval process (five full calendar months, benefits from the sixth full month) and Substantial Gainful Activity