Sick (fit) notes

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

To request a sick note:

Your GP may call you or ask, via reception, that you attend an appointment.

If you have already been seen by your GP about this illness your certificate will be available to collect after 48 working hours.

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.

Some employers my insist on a doctor’s note regardless, and if this is your situation, there may be a charge.