Sick note for stress: getting signed off work
How to get signed off work with stress in the UK, how long it can last, what to tell your employer and what you are paid.
The short answer. Yes, you can get a sick note for stress, and for the first 7 days you do not need one at all: you can self-certify. If you are off longer, a doctor decides whether you are fit for work. There is no set or standard time off for stress. It depends on you, and a doctor assesses it.
Can you self certify for stress?
Yes. The self-certification rule is about the length of the absence, not the reason for it. For any period of 7 calendar days or less, you tell your employer you are not well enough to work and you do not need a doctor’s note. If your employer wants medical evidence sooner, any fee should be covered by them. Weekends count towards the 7 days. When you return, your employer may ask you to confirm the absence in writing, sometimes on HMRC form SC2. See self-certification explained.
How to get signed off work with stress
If you expect to be off for more than 7 days, you will need a note from a doctor. The NHS route is your GP, who can issue a fit note if they assess you as not fit for work, or as fit for some work with changes. The NHS says to see a GP if you are struggling to cope with stress, or if the things you are trying yourself are not helping.
People often ask what to say to a doctor to get signed off with stress. The honest answer is: describe what is happening. Say how you have been sleeping, how you are managing at home and at work, and what part of your job you cannot do right now. The doctor decides whether a note is appropriate and for how long. They may also mention NHS talking therapies, which the NHS says may help with stress and which you can refer yourself to if you are 18 or over (16 or over in some areas).
If you cannot get a GP appointment, a private mental health sick note from a GMC-registered UK doctor is another route. It is a private medical certificate, not an NHS fit note. Your employer can choose to accept it, as government guidance for employers allows. It cannot be used for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
How long can you be signed off work with stress?
There is no standard time off work with stress, and no maximum. What the rules do set is the length of each note: in the first 6 months of a condition, one NHS fit note can cover up to 3 months. A longer absence is covered by further notes. Someone off for more than 4 weeks may be treated as long-term sick, which can mean more contact with your employer about support and a plan to return.
If you need help now. If you feel you cannot keep yourself safe, or someone’s life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E now. For urgent mental health help that is not an emergency, use 111 online or call 111 and choose the mental health option. Samaritans answer free on 116 123, day or night.
Work related stress and your sick note
When work is the cause, the sick note works the same way. What changes is what you can ask of your employer. HSE says your employer has a legal duty to assess the risks to your health from stress at work, and to share the results of any risk assessment with you. HSE also advises raising it as soon as possible with someone, for example your manager. If your manager is part of the problem, HR, a union or employee representative, or an employee assistance service are other routes.
You do not have to settle any of that before you go off sick. It often makes sense to raise it once you are well enough, so that the return-to-work conversation covers what caused the absence.
What to tell your employer
Tell them you are off sick by their usual deadline, or within 7 days if they have not set one. They cannot insist that you report it in person or on a special form. You do not have to go into detail in the first conversation. Saying you are unwell and will update them is enough to start with.
Sick pay while off with stress
Since 6 April 2026, statutory sick pay starts on your first full day off if you qualify, with no waiting days. It is £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks. The statutory sick pay guide has the details.
Going out while signed off
Being signed off with stress does not mean staying indoors. A walk, a trip to the shops or seeing a friend can be part of feeling better, as long as it fits your doctor’s advice and does not slow your recovery. We cover this, and where the line is, in what you can do while off sick.
Coming back
A phased return, building your hours back up over a period you agree with your employer, is common after a stress absence. If stress is linked to a condition that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your normal day-to-day activities, the Equality Act may treat it as a disability. That depends on the facts of your case. If it does, your employer must then consider reasonable adjustments. Long-term stress at work can also lead to burnout, which the NHS treats as related but not the same. Stress often comes with anxiety or low mood; the conditions hub covers the rules that apply to all of them.
Common questions
Can you self certify for stress?
Yes. Self-certification covers the first 7 days of any sickness absence, and stress is no exception. You tell your employer you are not well enough to work and do not need medical evidence.
How long can you be signed off work with stress?
There is no legal maximum. In the first 6 months of a condition each NHS fit note can cover up to 3 months, and further notes can follow. How long is right for you is a clinical decision.
What is the average time off work with stress?
There is no standard figure that applies to you. The NHS does not give a typical length of absence for stress, and it varies a great deal between people. A doctor assesses your own situation.
Can I get signed off work for stress if work is the cause?
Yes. Work-related stress is a sickness absence like any other. Separately, your employer has a legal duty to assess the risks to your health from stress at work.
Will I get paid if I am off with stress?
If you qualify for statutory sick pay, it is paid from your first full day off at £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. Your contract may give you more.
Signed off with stress: can I go out?
Usually, yes, if it does not slow your recovery or go against your doctor’s advice. See what you can do while off sick.
Related
Sources. The legal, pay and clinical facts on this page were checked against these primary sources on 27 October 2026. Rules and rates change, and your employer’s own policy may add to them, so check your contract or HR policy too.
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