Self-certification form: how long can you self-certify?
What self-certifying means, how the days are counted, which form to use and what changes on day 8.
The short answer. You can self-certify sickness for up to 7 calendar days, weekends and bank holidays included, without a doctor’s note. When you return, your employer may ask you to confirm the absence on HMRC’s form SC2, their own form or an email. From day 8 you need a fit note or other evidence your employer accepts.
What does self-certify mean?
Self-certifying means you are the one who confirms you were too ill to work. No GP, nurse or other clinician is involved. Acas puts it simply: you tell your employer you are not well enough to work, you do not have to provide medical evidence, and you should still receive the sick pay you are entitled to.
It happens in two parts. On the first day, you report that you are ill, following your employer’s absence procedure. When you are back, your employer can ask you to confirm in writing that you were off sick. The written part is what people mean by a “self cert sick note”.
How long can you self-certify for?
7 days. The detail that matters is that these are calendar days. GOV.UK says they include non-working days such as weekends and bank holidays, so the count runs on even when you were never due in. Someone who works Monday to Friday and is ill from a Thursday to the following Tuesday has used six days, not four.
Worked example: counting the days
You fall ill on a Wednesday and work Monday to Friday. Here is how the 7 days run.
| Day of absence | Weekday | What covers it |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Wednesday | Self-certified |
| Day 2 | Thursday | Self-certified |
| Day 3 | Friday | Self-certified |
| Day 4 | Saturday | Self-certified (counts, even though you do not work weekends) |
| Day 5 | Sunday | Self-certified (counts, even though you do not work weekends) |
| Day 6 | Monday | Self-certified |
| Day 7 | Tuesday | Self-certified |
| Day 8 | Wednesday | Fit note or other evidence your employer accepts |
Went home part way through a shift? If you worked any part of a day before going home ill, GOV.UK’s employer guide says that day does not count as a sick day for Statutory Sick Pay. Check with your employer whether they also start the self-certification count the next day.
The self-certification form: SC2 or your employer’s own
There is no single compulsory form. GOV.UK says self-certification can be a form or an email, whichever you and your employer agree.
- Form SC2 is HMRC’s employee’s statement of sickness. It is filled in online, can be used to self-certify or alongside a fit note, and GOV.UK suggests it where your employer needs something in writing. Use the official SC2 page on GOV.UK rather than a copy from elsewhere, so you have the current version. Progress cannot be saved, so have your dates ready before you start.
- Your employer’s own form is another option, often as part of a return-to-work chat. What it asks for is up to your employer.
- An email confirming the dates and reason is enough where your employer agrees to it.
Reporting the absence is different. Follow your employer’s absence procedure for how to tell them. For Statutory Sick Pay purposes, GOV.UK’s employer guide says they cannot insist that you tell them in person or on a special form. Their deadline for being told does matter, though: tell them by the time their policy sets, or within 7 days if there is none. Statutory Sick Pay can be held back for days you were late in telling them, unless you had a good reason.
Self-certification and sick pay
Since 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay has been payable from the first full day of absence, so even a one-day self-certified absence can be paid. The rate is £123.25 a week or 80% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, and it is paid for the days you normally work. Your contract may give you more. The statutory sick pay guide covers eligibility and how it is worked out.
What happens on day 8
Self-certification stops at the end of day 7. If you are still unwell on day 8, your employer can ask for a fit note, and the sick note rules explain who can issue one and for how long. GOV.UK’s employer guide adds that they cannot withhold Statutory Sick Pay simply because the note arrives late.
Most people get a fit note from their GP surgery, which is free once you have been ill for more than 7 days. If that is hard to arrange, some employers will accept a private sick note from a UK doctor instead: DWP guidance lets them treat it in the same way as a fit note if they agree. Check with your employer first, and remember it cannot be used for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
If your employer wants proof before day 8
An employer can ask for medical evidence during the first week, but the law does not let them make it a condition of Statutory Sick Pay. DWP guidance says that if a healthcare professional charges a fee for it, the employer should pay. An NHS clinician may also refuse, since the first 7 days are meant to be self-certified.
Common questions
How many days can you self-certify?
Up to 7 days in a row. The count includes every calendar day from the first day you were off, not only your working days.
Does self-certification include weekends?
Yes. GOV.UK says the period includes non-working days such as weekends and bank holidays, so a Friday to Monday absence uses four of your days, not two.
Is there an NHS self-certification form to download?
The form GOV.UK points to is SC2, the employee’s statement of sickness. It comes from HMRC, not the NHS, and you complete it online. Some employers use their own return-to-work form instead.
Can you self-certify for stress?
Yes. Self-certification works the same for any illness, physical or mental. For longer stress-related absences, see time off work with stress.
Do I get paid when I self-certify?
You should get whatever sick pay you are entitled to. Since 6 April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay starts from the first full day of sickness absence, and your own statement is enough evidence for the first week.
Does a self-certificate need a doctor’s signature?
No. It is your own statement. No doctor or other healthcare professional signs it, which is the whole point of the first week.
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.
Still unwell after 7 days?
A GMC-registered UK doctor can assess you online, with no appointment, and decide whether a private sick note is appropriate. £47.
Check if a doctor can helpAssessed by a GMC-registered UK doctor. Full refund if a note cannot be issued on clinical grounds.