UK reward metrics · Time Off & Family

Is there a waiting period before occupational sick pay applies?

Source lumi HRBase 134 organisationsFieldwork 2026 H1

67.2%Yes - up to 3 days

67.2% of organisations in the lumi HR community answered “Yes - up to 3 days” on waiting period before occupational sick pay (base: 134 UK organisations, 2026 H1).

Figures describe organisations in the lumi HR community, not a random sample of UK employers.

How UK organisations answered

No waiting period 32.1% Yes - up to 3 days 67.2% Yes - more than 3 days 0.7%
Waiting period before occupational sick pay (base: 134 organisations, 2026 H1). Percentages percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding.
Waiting period before occupational sick pay: share of organisations by answer
AnswerShare of organisations
No waiting periodalternative32.1%
Yes - up to 3 dayscommon67.2%
Yes - more than 3 daysrare0.7%

Common, alternative and rare describe how each answer sits against the community: the most chosen answer is common; an answer chosen by fewer than one in five organisations is rare.

Definition

Whether a waiting period applies before occupational sick pay starts, and roughly how long it lasts. See the methodology for how the base is built, how not-applicable answers are handled, the public floor, and which organisations are excluded.

Cite this figure
Source: lumi HR, UK Reward Metrics, September 2026, lumihr.co.uk/metrics/waiting-period-before-occupational-sick-pay
Last updated 19 September 2026 · Data licence: CC BY 4.0 for the figures in the CSV download.

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