Fit to work certificate from a UK doctor
Most people do not need a certificate to go back to work. If your employer or workplace has asked for a doctor’s letter about your fitness to return, a GMC-registered UK doctor can assess you online and decide.
- Assessed and signed by a GMC-registered UK doctor
- Online questionnaire, no appointment needed
- The doctor decides whether you are fit to return
- Full refund if a letter cannot be issued on clinical grounds
£47 · No appointment needed · UK-registered doctors
£47
What the letter covers
- Your name and date of birth
- The date of the doctor’s assessment
- The doctor’s view on your fitness to return
- Any adjustments the doctor recommends
- Doctor’s name, GMC number, signature and date
The short answer. Most people do not legally need a fit to work certificate to go back to work in the UK. Nobody has to be signed back, the NHS fit note has no option for it, and you can return before a fit note ends. Some employers, insurers or roles still ask for a doctor’s letter, and it should be based on a doctor’s assessment of you.
The rule most people get wrong
Many people believe they must be “signed fit” before they can go back. They do not. Government guidance for doctors says people do not need to be signed back to work, and the fit note has no box for it. When your note ends, or sooner if you feel better, you can simply return. The wider rules on sick notes and self-certification are set out separately.
You can also go back before a fit note runs out, without seeing the doctor again. Acas adds that you should be sure you are well enough, and that your employer should check you are not risking your health. A guide to returning early covers the practical side.
When someone might still ask for a letter
There is no general legal requirement, but a request can come from somewhere other than the law:
- Your employer’s own policy. Some absence policies ask for a doctor’s view after a long or serious absence, especially after an operation or an injury. See, for example, time off with a broken wrist or work after a perforated eardrum.
- Roles with safety risks. Work involving heavy lifting, machinery, driving or caring for others may lead a manager to want reassurance before you return. Some jobs, such as professional driving, have their own separate medical processes, which a private letter does not replace.
- Occupational health or an insurer. A workplace health team or an insurer may want evidence that you are fit for specific tasks.
Government guidance for employers says the same as the guidance for doctors: people do not need to be signed back to work. Asking what the letter is for, and whether a return to work meeting would meet the same need, is a reasonable first step. If your employer turns down a note you have already given them, what to do if they refuse it.
The doctor decides, not the form
A fit to work letter is a clinical opinion. A GMC-registered UK doctor reviews your answers about your illness or injury, your recovery and the work you do, and decides whether they can confirm you are fit to return. If they can, the letter says so and can note any adjustments they recommend, such as lighter duties for a period.
If the doctor cannot confirm it, they will not write the letter. You get a full refund when a letter cannot be issued on clinical grounds. Where you are ready for some work but not all of it, a phased return to work may be the better conversation to have with your employer.
This is a private letter for your employer or workplace. It is not an NHS fit note, and it cannot be used for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims.
How it works
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1
Describe your recovery
An online questionnaire about why you were off, how you are now, and what your job involves. No appointment needed.
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2
A UK doctor assesses you
A GMC-registered doctor reviews your answers and decides whether they can confirm you are fit to return, and whether any adjustments would help.
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3
Your letter, or a full refund
If the doctor can support it, you receive a signed PDF by email. If not, you are refunded in full.
Common questions
Do I need a fit to work certificate to go back to work?
Usually not. There is no general legal requirement to be signed back to work, and the NHS fit note has no ‘fit to return’ option. You can go back before your fit note ends without seeing the doctor again. A letter is usually only needed if your employer, insurer or workplace policy asks for one.
Can my employer insist on a fit for work certificate?
Government guidance for employers says people do not need to be signed back to work, and there is no option on the fit note to do it. An employer can still ask, and some policies or roles involve their own medical checks. If you are unsure, ask what the letter is for and whether a return to work meeting would cover it.
How do I get a fit for work certificate?
Your GP may write one as private work, or a private doctor can assess you online. With us, a GMC-registered UK doctor reviews your answers and writes a letter only if the assessment supports it.
What if the doctor thinks I am not ready?
Then the doctor will not certify that you are fit, and you receive a full refund. If you are partly ready, a phased return may be a better fit than going straight back to full duties. If you need more time off instead, see a private sick note for time off.
Can I return to work before my sick note ends?
Yes. You can go back early without seeing the doctor again, as long as you feel well enough. Acas suggests your employer checks you are not putting your health at risk. Returning early, step by step.
Is this valid for Universal Credit?
No. Our letters are for employers. Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) need an NHS fit note.
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.
Asked for a fit to work letter?
Tell a GMC-registered UK doctor about your recovery online. They decide whether you are fit to return. £47, full refund if they cannot issue a letter.
Start your assessmentAssessed by a GMC-registered UK doctor. Full refund if a note cannot be issued on clinical grounds.