Sick Certificates

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

To request a sick note:

  • send an online message
  • for your first sick note you need a GP appointment, for subsequent sick notes for the same health issue you can request in writing on paper or online

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.