What Happens to Universal Credit If I'm Off Sick?
Being signed off sick affects your Universal Credit because your earnings change. UC adjusts each assessment period based on actual earnings, so lower earnings from sickness generally means a higher UC payment. But there are also important longer-term implications if illness is expected to last.
In the short term: UC goes up as earnings go down
Universal Credit is assessed on earnings in each monthly assessment period. If you are off sick and not earning, your UC award increases to reflect the lower income. If you receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), this counts as earnings for UC purposes. SSP in 2026/27 is £123.25 per week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings if lower, and is paid from the first day of sickness (waiting days were abolished from 6 April 2026). Your UC award will be calculated based on SSP earnings rather than your normal wage.
Statutory Sick Pay: who gets it and for how long
SSP is paid by your employer for up to 28 weeks if you are sick and employed (from 6 April 2026 there is no minimum earnings test), and you need a fit note after the first 7 days. After 28 weeks, SSP ends. If you are still unfit for work at that point, new-style Employment and Support Allowance or the UC LCWRA element may apply depending on your NI contributions and circumstances.
Work out your Statutory Sick Pay for the days you're off (EmployerCalculator, free) →
The Work Capability Assessment and LCWRA
If your sickness is expected to last more than three months, you should report it to DWP via your UC journal. A fit note from your GP or doctor should be uploaded. DWP will then consider whether to refer you for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). If the WCA finds you have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA), your UC award increases by £217.26 per month. All work-related requirements are also suspended.
Conditionality while sick: what is expected
You are not expected to actively search for work while you are genuinely unable to do so. If you have provided a fit note, work search requirements are typically suspended during the period it covers. Once the fit note expires, conditionality may resume unless a WCA is in progress or a LCWRA determination has been made.
What to do if sickness becomes long-term
Report the change via your journal as soon as you know sickness is likely to last. Upload fit notes promptly. Contact your work coach if you have concerns about conditionality. Request a WCA referral if the condition is expected to last more than three months. Keep the DWP updated each time a fit note is renewed, do not let the note lapse without renewal or conditionality will restart.
Related guides
Universal Credit health element 2026/27: LCWRA £217.26 or £429.80?
UC health element 2026/27: £217.26 a month for most new claims, £429.80 for severe or terminal conditions and many pre-April 2026 claimants. Who gets which rate.
Universal Credit explained 2026/27, rates, capital limits and working-family rules
Universal Credit guide for 2026/27: rates, work allowance, £6,000 and £16,000 capital limits, tariff income, savings rules and what working families should check next.
What benefits can I claim?
A practical UK guide to the main benefits and support routes for low income, disability, children, rent and pension-age households.
Independent guide only. Written using published 2026/27 DWP and HMRC figures. This is not an official DWP or HMRC tool and does not constitute an entitlement decision. Figures shown are illustrative: actual awards depend on individual circumstances. For case-specific guidance, contact Citizens Advice or a welfare-rights adviser. Methodology · Editorial standards