Sick (fit) notes

If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days

To request a sick note:

If you’ve been off sick for 7 days or less

If you’re off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer should not ask for medical evidence that you’ve been ill. Instead, they can ask you to confirm that you’ve been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. We call this self-certification.

Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.

If you are requesting a fit note following a hospital admission, a fit note can be issued by the hospital. Please contact your consultant where possible to request the fit note.

Sick notes can only be issued when they are due and they cannot be future dated.

Date published: 20th September, 2023
Date last updated: 2nd September, 2024