Sick 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 have been ill for 7 days or less you don’t need to see a Doctor. You can complete a Self Certification form yourself. However some employers insist on a Doctor’s note regardless. A Doctor’s note under these circumstances may involve a charge.

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.