Sick for 7 days or less
If you're off work sick for 7 days or less, your employer can ask you to confirm that you've been ill.
You can self-certify if you've been ill for less than a week using this form: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ask-your-employer-for-statutory-sick-pay
Sick for more than 7 days
If you are sick and off work for more than seven days, your employer will normally ask you to provide a medical certificate from your GP.
A medical certificate note must be provided by a doctor. The GP can either say you are not fit for work, or that you may be partially fit for work. We do not provide fit to work certificates.
There is also space for the GP to give advice and suggest ways in which your employer can help such as reducing hours, performing different tasks, avoiding heavy lifting in the case of back pain etc.
Patients under 18 are not eligible for sick notes if it is for council or educational institutes
When your fit note runs out
If your certificate runs out, but you are still sick, you will need to consult the doctor again before you can get a further certificate.The doctor will review the sick note and issue another fit note or advised a consultation prior to extension.