In the UK, long-term sickness is typically classified as a period of absence lasting more than four weeks during which an employee is unable to perform their usual duties due to a health-related issue. There is no legal maximum period for long-term sick leave, but each organisation should define a ‘reasonable’ period for their employees to recover – this should be outlined in your sickness absence policy.

Employees on long-term sickness leave are legally entitled to statutory sick pay for a maximum of 28 weeks. At the time of writing, statutory sick pay is £116.75 per week to be paid by the employer.

Some organisations choose to implement their own sickness policies and benefits at their own discretion.