You can self-certify off work for up to 7 days without needing a doctor’s note. Please see here for more information.

If you have been ill for more than 7 days in a row and have taken sick leave from work, you will need a doctor’s certificate. These certificates are called ‘Fitness to Work’ certificates, or fit notes for short.

The fit note will give a diagnosis, symptoms or other reason, and say the employee is either ‘not fit for work’ or ‘may be fit for work’. If it says the employee ‘may be fit for work’, employers should discuss any changes that might help the employee return to work (for example, different hours or tasks). The employee must be treated as ‘not fit for work’ if there’s no agreement on these changes.

A fit note can support you to return to work or stay in work. You can also use your fit note to help you claim benefits or statutory sick pay.

Please submit fit note requests via our online platform Footfall, providing us with enough information to understand your request including the reasons why you feel unable to work and the dates you would like the certificate to cover. We may ask for more information, or book you an appointment to discuss it further. If you have already had a fit note for this illness, the doctor may be able to extend this further without another appointment.