UK HR Term
Fit note
A fit note (formerly a 'sick note') is a Statement of Fitness for Work issued by a healthcare professional confirming whether an employee is unable to work due to ill health or could return with adjustments.
In plain English
Renamed from "sick note" in 2010, the fit note tells the employer two things: whether the employee is unable to work at all, or whether they could come back with adjustments — phased return, altered duties, amended hours, or workplace adaptations.
When it's required
For sickness absences of seven calendar days or fewer, the employee can self-certify in writing — no medical evidence needed. From day eight onwards (counting weekends and non-working days), a fit note is required.
Who can issue one
Since July 2022, fit notes can be issued by:
- Doctors (GPs and hospital doctors)
- Registered nurses
- Occupational therapists
- Pharmacists
- Physiotherapists
Before 2022, only doctors could issue them. The change was made to spread the workload across primary care and reduce GP appointment pressure.
"May be fit for work"
This option signals the employee could return with reasonable adjustments. The employer can either implement them or treat the note as "not fit for work." A may-be-fit-for-work note is not a return-to-work order — it's a recommendation for the employer to consider.
Format
Fit notes have been issued without a wet signature since April 2022 and are commonly delivered digitally. A scanned, photographed, or emailed copy is acceptable evidence for SSP and absence records.
How Luna HR handles this
Luna HR Leave Management — fit notes auto-filed to the employee cabinet