A fit note is a written statement from your doctor. It says if you’re fit to work or not.
It’s also sometimes called a ‘sick note’.
If you’ve been off sick for more than 7 days
The seven days include days that you don’t normally work. So when you work out how long you’ve been off sick, include weekends and bank holidays.
You do not have to pay for a fit note if you’re off sick for more than seven days.
To request a sick note:
- fill out a sick note request form
- phone or visit the surgery from 10am to 6pm
- If you’re getting hospital treatment, ask for one from the doctor at your hospital.
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.
You may have to pay if you get a fit note when you’re off sick for seven days or less. To find out more, please ask at reception or go to the NHS website guidance on fit notes.
Self-certification forms
This includes things like:
– details about your sickness or illness
– the date your sickness started
– the date your sickness ended
These dates may include days you do not normally work, for example a weekend or bank holiday.
Some employers have their own self-certification form. If yours does not, use HMRC: Employees Statement of Sickness on GOV.UK.
Find out more about sick notes on the NHS website.