NHS Sick Pay Entitlement: How Many Months of Full and Half Pay You Get
NHS sick pay is far more generous than Statutory Sick Pay, and it grows with your service. Here is how much you can get and how it is counted.
Updated · 4 min read
Try it with your own numbersNHS Sick Pay CalculatorNobody plans to be off sick, but when it happens, knowing how long your pay will last takes a lot of worry out of it. NHS staff on Agenda for Change terms get occupational sick pay that is much more generous than the legal minimum, and it increases with the length of your NHS service.
The entitlement table
| Length of NHS service | Full pay | Half pay |
|---|---|---|
| During first year | 1 month | 2 months |
| During second year | 2 months | 2 months |
| During third year | 4 months | 4 months |
| During fourth and fifth years | 5 months | 5 months |
| After five years | 6 months | 6 months |
In the first year, the two months of half pay only start once you have completed four months of service.
Service with other NHS employers normally counts, and so may some other public sector service, depending on your employer's policy.
The rolling 12 months
Your entitlement is not reset on a fixed date each year. Instead, at the start of each new period of sickness, your employer looks back over the previous 12 months. Any sick pay you received in that time is taken off your full entitlement.
For example, if you have five months of full pay available and had one month of paid sickness last spring, you have four months of full pay left for a new absence this year. Once a month of sickness falls outside the 12-month window, it stops counting.
What full pay means
Full pay is the pay you would have received if you had been at work. That includes regular unsocial hours payments you would have earned on your rostered shifts. It does not usually include overtime unless it was regular and contractual. Statutory Sick Pay is included within NHS sick pay, not paid on top.
A worked example
A full-time Band 6 on £39,959 with three and a half years of NHS service falls into the "fourth and fifth years" row: five months on full pay and five on half pay. With no sickness in the last year:
- Five months of full pay is worth about £16,650 before tax.
- Five months of half pay is worth about £8,325 before tax.
That is ten months of income protection. The legal minimum, Statutory Sick Pay, is a flat weekly amount for up to 28 weeks.
Injury at work
If your illness or injury is caused by your NHS work, different rules may apply. Absences due to injury, disease or other health conditions sustained or contracted in the discharge of your duties are often handled separately, and some trusts do not count them against your usual entitlement. Speak to HR and occupational health if this applies to you.
After your sick pay runs out
If you are still unable to work when NHS sick pay ends, you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit. If you are a member of the NHS Pension and are unlikely to return to work, ask about ill-health retirement, which can pay a pension early.
Phased returns and reduced hours
After a long absence, many staff return on a phased basis, working reduced hours for a few weeks. Many NHS employers pay normal pay during an agreed phased return, and some let you use annual leave to make up the hours. Policies differ, so agree the plan and the pay arrangement with your manager and occupational health before you start.
Common questions
Does sickness during annual leave count as sick leave? Usually yes, if you report it in line with your trust's policy. You can then take the annual leave another time.
What counts as service for sick pay? Continuous NHS service normally counts, and many trusts also count other public sector service. Breaks of more than a year may reset your service.
Is sick pay taxed? Yes. Occupational sick pay is taxed and has National Insurance and pension deducted in the usual way.
What if I run out of full pay? You move to half pay for the months of half-pay entitlement you have left. When both run out, your pay stops, although Statutory Sick Pay may still apply in some situations.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not keeping a note of past sickness, which makes it hard to check the rolling 12-month calculation.
- Missing the deadline for sick notes, which can affect your sick pay.
- Not asking occupational health about adjustments that could help you return sooner.
Check what you have left
The sick pay calculator works out your entitlement for your length of service and salary, and takes off any full-pay or half-pay months you have already used in the last 12 months. For leave you can plan ahead, see the annual leave guide.
This guide explains the general rules for staff in England using 2026/27 figures. It is not financial advice. Your employer, payslip or NHS Pensions statement has the final word on your own pay.