Sick Note While on Probation: Your UK Rights & Pay

Starting a new job is an exciting but naturally stressful milestone. You are focused on making a brilliant first impression, learning new systems, and integrating into a new team. However, falling ill or suffering an unexpected injury during your probationary period can cause intense panic. Many new employees worry that taking a single sick day during probation will lead to immediate dismissal, or that they have no right to sick pay. The psychological pressure to "work through" an illness during probation is immense, yet doing so can compromise your health and your performance.

Probation is a contractual assessment period. It does not replace statutory sickness-evidence or SSP rules. This guide separates the reporting steps, company sick-pay terms and employment protections that matter when you fall ill in a new job.

The legal reality of probationary periods in the UK

The first and most important truth to understand is that a "probationary period" has no distinct definition in UK statutory employment law. The law does not recognize a "probationary employee" as having fewer statutory rights than a "permanent employee." Sickness rights, health and safety protections, and discrimination laws apply to you from your very first day of employment.

Probation is entirely a contractual concept. It is an agreement between you and your employer, typically lasting 3 to 6 months, during which both parties can terminate the contract with a shorter notice period (often 1 week instead of 1 month or more). It allows the employer to evaluate your performance and conduct before confirming you in the role.

In Great Britain, ordinary unfair-dismissal protection generally requires two years' service as at October 2026. Acas explains a change to six months from 1 January 2027. Some automatically unfair reasons and discrimination protections do not use that ordinary qualifying period, and Northern Ireland has different rules. Check the current Acas explanation.

Despite this, employers must still follow their own contractual procedures. If your employment contract outlines a specific sickness or capability procedure that applies during probation, your employer is legally bound to follow it. Failing to do so can result in a claim for breach of contract.

Sickness absence during probation: What are your rights?

If illness prevents work during probation, notify your employer and follow the reporting process. Probation is not a reason to ignore symptoms or to assume that a private certificate is compulsory. Keep a record of agreed updates and ask what support or adjustments are available.

Follow the sickness reporting procedure and keep a record of when you notified your employer. For SSP, medical evidence is not normally required for the first seven calendar days. If early evidence is requested for another purpose, clarify what document is needed, whether private evidence is accepted and who covers the fee. A company policy does not replace the statutory SSP evidence rules.

Keep sickness reporting clear and timely, using the employer's procedure and explaining any difficulty following it. Useful practical steps include:

• Report the absence using the method and timescale in the sickness policy. If you cannot do so, explain why as soon as possible.
• Provide reasonable updates about the likely duration without promising a recovery date you cannot know.
• Use ordinary self-certification for the first seven calendar days for SSP purposes. Clarify any separate early-evidence request and who will pay for it.

See the seven-day evidence guide. If the employer asks for private evidence, get its requirements and agreement to accept that document before requesting an assessment. Issuance and timing remain subject to clinical review.

Do you need a sick note from day one during probation?

Under standard UK statutory rules, employees are not required to provide a doctor's sick note for the first 7 calendar days of an illness. They can "self-certify" their absence using a statutory form or an internal company procedure.

A probation clause does not turn day-one medical evidence into a statutory SSP requirement. The employer may have separate reporting or contractual sick-pay conditions. Ask which rule is being applied and do not confuse a self-certification form with a paid medical certificate.

If the probation policy requests early medical evidence, ask whether this concerns company sick pay or another process, which document is accepted and who will cover the fee. Do not assume it changes the separate first-seven-day SSP evidence rule.

If pay or attendance treatment is disputed, ask for a written explanation and check the distinction between SSP, company sick pay and reporting requirements. Obtain employment advice before assuming that a contractual clause can remove a statutory right.

Your GP may advise self-certification for a short absence. If another document is being requested, clarify its purpose, fee and acceptance rather than assuming an urgent private purchase is the only option. Tell the employer if there is a delay.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) eligibility during probation

A very common source of worry for new hires is whether they are entitled to receive sick pay if they fall ill during probation. It is a widespread myth that sick pay is a privilege reserved only for permanent staff.

Probation does not itself exclude an employee from SSP. Eligibility includes having done some work under the contract and meeting the other statutory conditions. A new starter who has not yet done any work needs a different eligibility check from someone who has started.

• Weekly amount: the ordinary 2026/27 rate is the lower of £123.25 or 80% of average weekly earnings. Some continuing cases have transitional protection.
• Payment starts on the first full qualifying day for eligible employees from 6 April 2026. There is no lower earnings limit or three-day waiting period.
• SSP can last up to 28 weeks, including linked absences separated by eight weeks or less. Check SSP1 requirements if entitlement ends or is refused; benefits have separate eligibility rules.

Probation does not by itself remove SSP eligibility. If the employee meets the rules, the ordinary 2026/27 weekly amount is the lower of £123.25 or 80% of average weekly earnings, for up to 28 weeks. See GOV.UK SSP amounts and our current SSP calculation guide.

It is crucial to distinguish between Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and "company sick pay" (also known as occupational or contractual sick pay). Company sick pay is an optional benefit where an employer pays you your normal full salary while you are off sick. Many UK companies have policies that exclude employees on probation from company sick pay, meaning you will only receive the statutory minimum (SSP) if you fall ill. Make sure you review your contract or company handbook to understand your specific pay structure.

For part-time or flexible workers, understanding these rules is particularly important. You can check our detailed guide on can part-time and zero-hour workers get sick notes to understand how SSP is calculated for non-traditional shift patterns.

Can your probationary period be extended due to sickness?

If you are off work on sick leave for a significant portion of your probationary period, your employer may struggle to evaluate your performance fairly. In these scenarios, it is standard practice in the UK for employers to formally extend your probationary period.

Whether probation can be extended depends on the contract and the circumstances. Ask the employer for the reason, the proposed end date, the support offered and how the decision relates to any pregnancy-related or disability-related absence. Do not assume one fixed extension period applies to every employee.

It is important to view a probation extension not as a disciplinary punishment, but as a supportive measure. The extension gives you a fair opportunity to recover fully, return to work, and demonstrate your capability and skills over a complete, uninterrupted period, ensuring that your suitability is assessed fairly.

However, the extension must be managed reasonably. Your employer should meet with you formally to discuss the extension, outline what performance targets or support will be put in place during the extended period, and document the agreement clearly to prevent any future disputes.

How DoctorCert provides secure medical evidence during probation

Before buying evidence during probation, ask whether it is required for statutory pay, contractual pay or another administrative purpose. Follow the normal reporting procedure and keep the response. A certificate does not guarantee that probation will be passed or extended.

DoctorCert offers an online request for a private medical certificate. Complete the booking questionnaire accurately; a GMC-registered doctor reviews the information and may decline the request or need further information. This is a documentation assessment, not a replacement for examination, tests, treatment or your usual care team. Check the service scope, price and refund policy before booking.

• Explain the symptoms, relevant dates and how they affect your work in the booking questionnaire.
• A GMC-registered doctor reviews the request. Issuance and the dates covered depend on that assessment.
• If approved, the private certificate is sent digitally. Confirm that the recipient accepts this evidence before requesting it.
• If the doctor cannot issue a certificate, the published refund policy applies. Seek appropriate medical care for symptoms.

Before payment, ask the recipient to confirm the document and dates it needs. If it wants a statutory or specialist form, check that the service can provide it rather than assuming that a general private letter is interchangeable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a sick note from day one during a probation period?

You normally self-certify the first seven calendar days for SSP, including during probation. A company policy may raise a separate early-evidence request, but it cannot replace that statutory evidence boundary. Ask HR which requirement applies before purchasing a private letter.

Am I entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) while on probation?

Probation alone does not remove SSP eligibility. Since 6 April 2026 the old four-consecutive-day requirement and lower earnings limit no longer apply; the remaining statutory conditions still need to be met. Check any separate company sick-pay terms.

Can my employer sack me for taking a sick day during probation?

A short period of service can affect an ordinary unfair-dismissal claim, but it does not remove every employment protection. The reason for dismissal, jurisdiction, date, contract and any applicable discrimination or automatically unfair-dismissal rules matter. Seek advice promptly if dismissal is threatened.

Can my probationary period be extended because of sickness absence?

An extension may be possible under the contract, but it should be explained clearly with the new review date and support. Ask how the employer has considered any applicable pregnancy or disability protections. The length is not fixed by a universal probation-extension rule.

Does company sick pay apply to employees on probation?

Company sick pay (paying your full salary during sickness) is a contractual benefit, not a statutory right. Many UK companies explicitly exclude employees on probation from company sick pay, meaning you will only receive the statutory minimum (SSP) during your probation. Check your handbook for details.

Need a medical certificate?

Use accurate dates and describe the symptoms and work effects in your own words. The booking questionnaire is an information-gathering step, not a promise that the reviewing doctor can issue the requested evidence.

Sources and guidance

Guidance checked on 9 October 2026. GOV.UK SSP amounts; GOV.UK sickness evidence.

A practical message to HR during probation

Give the dates you are unable to work, explain the reporting steps you have taken and ask when the next update is needed. You do not need to predict a diagnosis or promise a return date before a clinician has assessed the problem.

If a day-one letter is requested, ask whether it concerns contractual pay or another purpose. Obtain the requirement and fee arrangements in writing, particularly if you are told that self-certification is unavailable solely because you are on probation.

• Keep a copy of the sickness policy and relevant probation clause.
• Check SSP separately from company sick pay.
• Ask for any proposed extension and support plan in writing.

Editorial sources and scope

Sources checked on 16 October 2026: Acas guidance 1; GOV.UK guidance 2.

This article provides general information. It is not an individual clinical assessment or employment-law decision. A private certificate is issued only where the reviewing doctor can support it, and the recipient decides whether it meets the required purpose.

Related guidance

What Is a Fit Note? A Complete UK Guide; Online sickness evidence.