Sick Pay Gap Calculator UK

UK Sick Pay Gap How Our Calculator Reveals Your Income Shortfall During Illness and Guides Your Financial Decisions

If you had to take several months off work due to an unexpected illness or injury, would your finances survive? For millions of people across the UK, the answer is a worrying "no".

Most of us assume our employer will look after us, but the reality can be a shock. The difference between your regular take-home pay and what you receive when you're unwell is known as the Sick Pay Gap. This gap can be a small crack or a gaping chasm, depending on your employer's policy.

Understanding your personal sick pay gap is the first step to protecting your financial health. Our free and easy-to-use Sick Pay Gap Calculator is designed to do exactly that. It gives you a clear, personalised picture of your potential income shortfall, empowering you to make smart decisions about your future.

What is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Why Isn't It Enough?

Statutory Sick Pay, or SSP, is the legal minimum that most employers in the UK must pay to employees who are off sick. As of the 2024/25 tax year, it is £116.75 per week, paid for up to 28 weeks.

To be eligible for SSP, you must:

• Be classed as an employee.
• Have been ill for at least 4 days in a row (including non-working days).
• Earn an average of at least £123 per week.
• Give your employer the correct notice.

The problem is stark: SSP is a safety net, not a salary replacement.

Imagine your weekly take-home pay is £500. If you had to rely solely on SSP, your income would plummet by nearly 80%. Could you pay your mortgage, bills, and food shopping on just £116.75 a week? For almost everyone, the answer is no. This is the reality of the sick pay gap.

Understanding Your Company's Sick Pay Scheme

Thankfully, many employers offer a more generous sick pay policy, often called an "occupational" or "contractual" sick pay scheme. These policies vary hugely from one company to another.

A typical scheme might look like this:

• Full Pay: You receive your normal salary for a set period, perhaps for the first 4 to 12 weeks of absence.
• Half Pay: After the full-pay period ends, you might drop to 50% of your salary for another set period.
• Statutory Sick Pay: Once your company's scheme is exhausted, you will likely be moved onto SSP until you either return to work or the 28-week SSP period ends.

It is vital to find out what your company's policy is. You can usually find this information in your employment contract or the staff handbook. Don't just assume—check the facts.

How to Use Our Sick Pay Gap Calculator

Our powerful calculator takes the guesswork out of understanding your financial risk. In just a few simple steps, you can see exactly what an extended period of sickness would mean for your bank balance.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Your Usual Monthly Take-Home Pay (£): Enter the amount of money that lands in your bank account each month after tax and other deductions.
2. Number of Weeks on Full Sick Pay: Check your contract and enter the number of weeks your employer will pay your full salary while you're sick.
3. Number of Weeks on Half Sick Pay: Enter the number of weeks you will receive half pay after your full-pay period runs out.
4. How Long You Expect to Be Off Sick (Months): This is for modelling purposes. Try a few different scenarios, such as 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, to see how the impact changes over time.

Your Results Explained

Once you've entered the details, the Sick Pay Gap Calculator will instantly show you:

• Your Total Normal Income: What you would have earned over the period if you hadn't been sick.
• Your Total Sick Pay Income: The total income you would actually receive from your employer's scheme and/or SSP.
• Your Sick Pay Gap (£): The crucial figure. This is the total cash shortfall between your normal income and your sick pay income.
• Income Shortfall (%): The gap shown as a percentage, highlighting how much of your income you stand to lose.

A Worked Example: Seeing the Gap in Action

Let's look at Sarah, a project manager who takes home £3,000 per month. Her company has a fairly standard sick pay policy: 8 weeks of full pay, followed by 8 weeks of half pay.

Sarah wants to see what would happen if she were unable to work for 6 months (26 weeks).

Her Calculator Inputs:

• Usual Monthly Take-Home Pay: £3,000
• Weeks on Full Pay: 8
• Weeks on Half Pay: 8
• Length of Sickness: 6 months

Her Calculator Results:

• Total Normal Income (over 6 months): £18,000
• Total Sick Pay Income: £9,517
• Her Sick Pay Gap: £8,483
• Income Shortfall: 47%

In just six months, Sarah would be over £8,000 worse off. Her income would be almost halved, putting immense pressure on her ability to pay her mortgage and other essential bills. This is why understanding your gap is so important.

Month	Sarah's Normal Pay	Sarah's Sick Pay	Monthly Shortfall
1	£3,000	£3,000 (Full Pay)	£0
2	£3,000	£3,000 (Full Pay)	£0
3	£3,000	£1,500 (Half Pay)	£1,500
4	£3,000	£1,500 (Half Pay)	£1,500
5	£3,000	£506 (SSP only)	£2,494
6	£3,000	£506 (SSP only)	£2,494
Total	£18,000	£10,012	£7,988
Note: This is an illustrative table. The calculator provides the precise figures based on weekly calculations.

What To Do After You Get Your Result: Bridging the Gap

Seeing a large number in the "Your Sick Pay Gap" box can be unsettling, but knowledge is power. Now you can take steps to protect yourself.

1. Build an Emergency Fund: Having 3-6 months of essential living expenses saved in an easy-access account is a fantastic buffer for any financial shock, including a short-term illness.

2. Protect Your Income for the Long Term: An emergency fund is unlikely to last if you're off work for 6, 12, or 24 months. For long-term protection, the most effective solution is Income Protection Insurance.

Income Protection is a policy designed specifically to solve this problem. If you can't work due to illness or injury, it pays you a regular, tax-free monthly income to replace a large portion of your lost salary. You can typically cover up to 70% of your gross earnings.

You choose a "deferral period"—the time between when you stop work and when the policy starts paying out. By matching this deferral period to your employer's sick pay scheme (e.g., setting it to 16 weeks if you get 8 weeks full and 8 weeks half pay), you can make your cover much more affordable.

The expert advisers at WeCovr can help you navigate the options and find a policy that fits your job, budget, and sick pay arrangements perfectly.

Common Mistakes When Thinking About Sick Pay

• "My savings will be enough." As the calculator shows, the shortfall can run into many thousands of pounds very quickly, wiping out years of careful saving.
• "SSP will cover my essentials." At just £116.75 a week, SSP barely covers the average weekly food shop for a small family, let alone rent or a mortgage.
• "It won't happen to me." The unfortunate truth is that around 1 in 5 workers will be off work for a month or longer at some point in their careers due to illness.
• "My employer's sick pay scheme is really generous." Even the best schemes eventually run out. It's what happens after they end that you need to plan for.

How Your Sick Pay Gap Connects to Wider Financial Protection

Your income is your most valuable asset. Protecting it is just one part of building a complete financial safety net for you and your family.

• Private Medical Insurance (PMI): While income protection replaces your pay cheque, PMI helps you get faster access to diagnosis and treatment. This could shorten your time off work, reducing the financial hit. It's important to understand that UK PMI policies are designed to cover acute conditions that arise after your policy begins. They do not cover pre-existing or chronic conditions like diabetes or long-term back pain.

• Life Insurance: This cover provides for your loved ones if the worst should happen to you. It pays out a cash lump sum to help them pay off the mortgage or cover future living costs, ensuring they are financially secure without your income.

At WeCovr, we specialise in helping UK customers build a comprehensive protection plan. When you take out a policy like PMI or life insurance with us, we can often provide discounts on other types of cover, making it more affordable to get the all-round protection you need. Furthermore, to support your overall wellbeing, WeCovr customers gain complimentary access to CalorieHero, our AI-powered calorie and nutrition tracking app.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Don't leave your financial future to chance. An unexpected illness shouldn't lead to a financial crisis.

Take the first step today. Use the Sick Pay Gap Calculator to discover your personal risk. Then, contact the friendly experts at WeCovr for a free, no-obligation quote and find out how affordable it can be to protect your income and your family's future.