Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
SSP in EEA countries
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid by employers for up to 28 weeks to employees unable to work because they are sick. You can get SSP while you are in the other country if you work for a UK employer and:
- have been sick for at least 4 days in a row (including weekends and bank holidays); and
- your earnings are on average at least equal to the Lower Earnings Limit, in the appropriate reference period.
Such entitlement may continue even if your employer ceases to be liable to pay Class 1 contributions during your period of entitlement to SSP. You do not need to be a national of any EEA country to get SSP in another EEA country.
SSP in social security agreement countries
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is paid by employers for up to 28 weeks to employees unable to work because they are sick. You can get SSP while you are in the other country if you work for a UK employer and:
- have been sick for at least 4 days in a row (including weekends and bank holidays); and
- your earnings are on average at least equal to the Lower Earnings Limit, in the appropriate reference period.
Such entitlement may continue even if your employer ceases to be liable to pay Class 1 contributions during your period of entitlement to SSP.
If you do not work for an employer or you are not entitled to SSP for another reason, but you are insured under the UK scheme, you may get UK short-term Incapacity Benefit instead. Short- term Incapacity Benefit may only be payable in
- Barbados
- Jersey and Guernsey
- Israel
- New Zealand
- Republics of the former Yugoslavia
- Turkey.
You can find more information about SSP on the HM Revenue & Customs website.
