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Free tools › Sick pay by country

Sick pay: Singapore vs United Kingdom

Statutory sick pay in Singapore and the UK, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does sick pay compare between Singapore and UK?

Singapore: 14 days' paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days' hospitalisation leave (the 60 includes the 14), phasing in between 3 and 6 months' service. United Kingdom: Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.

Singapore vs United Kingdom, side by side

SingaporeUnited Kingdom
The rule14 days' paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days' hospitalisation leave (the 60 includes the 14), phasing in between 3 and 6 months' service.Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.
Key numbersOutpatient: 14 days a year from 6 months' service; Hospitalisation: 60 days a year, inclusive of the 14; Qualifying service: 3 monthsRate: Lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week; Payable from: Day one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026); Duration: Up to 28 weeks

Singapore

Employment Act employees qualify after 3 months, with the entitlement stepping up monthly to the full 14 outpatient days and 60 hospitalisation days at 6 months. The hospitalisation figure is a combined cap, not an extra 60. The employer pays, and a medical certificate is required.

  • Outpatient14 days a year from 6 months' service
  • Hospitalisation60 days a year, inclusive of the 14
  • Qualifying service3 months
  • Who paysEmployer
Length of serviceEntitlement
3 months' service5 outpatient / 15 hospitalisation days
4 months8 / 30
5 months11 / 45
6 months and beyond14 / 60
  • Covers all Employment Act employees including managers and executives; the S$2,600 threshold people cite only limits hours-of-work protections, not leave.

Source: Ministry of Manpower (Employment Act s.89). Checked July 2026.

United Kingdom

Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test. The rate is the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25, so low earners receive less than the flat figure. Employers carry the full cost, with no state reimbursement.

  • RateLower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week
  • Payable fromDay one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026)
  • DurationUp to 28 weeks
  • Employer reimbursementNone
  • Any guidance still describing SSP as 'flat rate from day 4' is out of date twice over.
  • Below about £154 a week in average earnings, the 80% formula pays less than £123.25.

Source: GOV.UK / HMRC (2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026). Checked July 2026.

Hiring in both markets?

Put a full number on each side with the true-cost calculators: True cost of an employee (Singapore) and True cost of an employee (UK). The complete six-market picture is on the Sick pay by country page.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the government source for its market.

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
SingaporeMinistry of ManpowerEmployment Act s.89Checked July 2026
United KingdomGOV.UK / HMRC2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026Checked July 2026
Where Compono fits

Comparing entitlements is the easy half of hiring across markets. The hard half is whether the person you hire in Sydney, Singapore or Seattle will actually work out, and that risk looks the same in every jurisdiction. Compono matches candidates on how they work, not just what the CV claims, so the hires behind these numbers hold up wherever you make them.

See how it works

Common questions

What is the rule on sick pay in Singapore?

14 days' paid outpatient sick leave and 60 days' hospitalisation leave (the 60 includes the 14), phasing in between 3 and 6 months' service. Employment Act employees qualify after 3 months, with the entitlement stepping up monthly to the full 14 outpatient days and 60 hospitalisation days at 6 months.

What is the rule on sick pay in the UK?

Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks. Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the Singapore and the UK government pages every figure on this page was verified against in July 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with the Ministry of Manpower, GOV.UK or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.