A question our advisors are often asked is, “Do I get full pay if I’m injured at work?” If you are injured at work, you may not automatically receive your full salary while you recover. You will usually be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), and some employers offer additional sick pay under their own policies. However, if your injury occurred because your employer was at fault, such as by failing to provide a safe working environment, you could make a personal injury claim. Through this type of claim, you may be able to recover any loss of earnings and other expenses linked to your injury.

Key Takeaways

• You could be entitled to your full pay after suffering a workplace injury, depending on your contract of employment.
• Your specific entitlement will depend on your company’s policy, so please check your contract and consult with your employer for further information.
• The government also states that qualifying employees could receive Statutory Sick Pay if they are off work for at least 3 days.
• It is possible to receive reimbursement for your lost pay as part of a successful compensation claim.
• Our panel of expert solicitors can offer you a very desirable No Win No Fee contract if you meet the eligibility criteria so get in touch with our advisors today.

You can reach our dedicated team at any time using the buttons below. As well as providing free advice, our advisors can assess your eligibility to make a claim for free.

Select A Section

1. Do I Get Full Pay If I’m Injured At Work?
2. How Can I Know If I Am Entitled To Sick Pay From My Employer?
3. What Is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?
4. Can Any Lost Income Be Reimbursed Through Compensation?
5. How Can How To Sue Help Me?
6. Learn More

Do I Get Full Pay If I’m Injured At Work?

Whether you receive full pay after being injured at work depends on the terms of your employment contract. While some employers offer contractual sick pay that covers your full salary for a period of time, others may only provide the minimum Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

SSP is a government-set rate that employers must pay eligible workers who are off sick for more than three consecutive working days. However, this is usually much lower than your normal wage. Your employer may choose to top this up with contractual sick pay, but this is not a legal requirement. It should be detailed in your employment contract or staff handbook.

In practice, this means you might receive your full salary, a reduced percentage of it, or only SSP. The length of time you receive pay while off work can also vary between employers.

For a more detailed answer to the question, “Do I get full pay if I’m injured at work?” or to find out more about potentially making an accident at work claim, speak to one of our advisors today.

How Can I Know If I Am Entitled To Sick Pay From My Employer?

You will know if you are entitled to sick pay from your employer if it is listed in your contract of employment. Firms often have their own sick pay scheme that states employees are entitled to a certain number of paid sick days each year. There may also be a provision for a rate of sick pay for continuing illness or injury. You should speak to your manager, HR or other relevant person at your workplace for more information on the company’s policies on contractual sick pay.

To get further information on potential sick pay entitlement, or to find out how to sue your employer for an accident at work, speak to one of our advisors today.

What Is Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)?

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a benefit paid to those who are off work for more than 3 consecutive days. The eligibility criteria are as follows:

1. You are an employee who has commenced work for an employer.
2. You earn on average £125 a week in pay.
3. You have been ill or injured for more than 3 consecutive days, including non-working days.

In order to claim SSP, you will need to inform your employer of your inability to work. You will receive £118,75 a week for a maximum period of 28 weeks. SSP is paid by your employer in the same way you receive your normal wages, so this will be on your usual payday. These payments are also subject to National Insurance and any relevant taxes. 

Can Any Lost Income Be Reimbursed Through Compensation?

Yes, lost income can be reimbursed as part of an accident at work compensation claim. When you make a claim, the compensation you could receive is divided into two parts, known as general damages and special damages.

General damages cover the pain, suffering, and loss of amenity caused by your injuries. This includes both the physical and psychological impact the accident has had on your life.

Special damages, on the other hand, aim to reimburse you for the financial losses you have suffered because of your workplace injury. This can include any loss of earnings from time off work, as well as other expenses directly related to your injury.

What Financial Losses Can Be Claimed?

If your injury has caused you to miss work, your lost income can be included in your compensation claim. This does not only cover your basic salary, but also other employment benefits you may have missed out on, such as:

• Lost bonuses and commission you would have earned if you were able to work.

• Overtime payments that you regularly worked prior to the accident.

• Lost holiday entitlement or holiday pay if you were unable to take or reschedule annual leave due to your injury.

• Pension contributions that may have been affected while you were off work.

• Future loss of earnings, if your injuries prevent you from returning to the same job or working at full capacity.

To calculate these losses accurately, your solicitor will ask for payslips, tax records, or employment contracts to demonstrate your usual income and benefits. They will then use this evidence to ensure your claim reflects your full financial loss, both now and in the future.

Why Claiming Compensation Can Be Financially Beneficial

While Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or contractual sick pay may provide short-term income, these payments are often significantly lower than your regular wages. Making an accident at work claim can therefore help bridge this financial gap, ensuring you are not left out of pocket because of an injury that was not your fault.

Compensation can also help with other costs linked to your recovery, such as medical expenses, travel to hospital appointments, and home or vehicle adaptations if your injury has affected your mobility.

If you would like to learn more about how much compensation you could receive for your lost income and other expenses, speak to one of our friendly advisors today. They can explain your options and help you start your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.

Are There Any Benefits I Can Claim Following A Workplace Accident?

You can claim certain benefits following a workplace accident. A summary of what could be available to you has been given here:

1. New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): those not entitled to SSP can claim ESA. Those who are too ill to work but have made enough National Insurance contributions in the last 2-3 years can receive ESA.
2. Universal Credit (UC): anyone who is on a low income and has less than £16,000 in savings, cash and investments can receive UC. It is worth noting that the amount received in UC will go down for every pound earned.
3. Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Those with long term physical disability or mental challenges can receive additional cost of living support in the form of PIP payments.

Check the government website for further information.

You can ask our advisors any questions you may have by calling the number below today.

How Can How To Sue Help Me?

How To Sue can help you by providing a free, no obligation assessment of your eligibility to begin a personal injury claim on a No Win No Fee basis after an accident has left you unable to work. If you do meet the threshold, our team will put you in touch with one of the highly experienced work injury solicitors from our panel, who can provide a range of services and support.

Here are just some of the ways the solicitors on our panel could help you during the claims process:

• Getting you the necessary medical care, treatment, and rehabilitation needed to cope with your injuries, with referral to relevant specialists.
• Assisting you with collecting evidence.
• Determining a potential payout figure for your claim.
• Keeping you informed of the claim’s progress.
• Explaining all the tricky legal language.
• Negotiating a settlement with your employer’s solicitors.

Our panel of experts can offer their services to eligible claimants under a particular contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement or “CFA.” This No Win No Fee contract will protect you from having to pay solicitor fees at the start of or during the claim, and you won’t be paying any such fees if the claim is lost.

If however the claim does succeed, you will receive a compensation payout. The solicitor will take their success fee from this compensation as a capped percentage. Since this cap has been legally established at 25% by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, most of the compensation will go to you. 

Contact Our Advisors

You can reach our dedicated team at any time using the buttons below. As well as providing free advice, our advisors can assess your eligibility to make a claim for free.

Learn More

You can read some more accident at work claims guides here:

• See our accident at work claims FAQ page here.
• Read this guide on how to sue for multiple injuries and see how these claims are valued. 
• Find out the criteria for claiming compensation after being struck by a moving object in the workplace. 

These additional resources will provide further information that you may find useful:

• Learn more about the basics of health and safety with this Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.
• The NHS has published this guidance on first aid following an incident. 
• Read the ACAS guidance on dispute resolution on their website. 

We appreciate you taking to time to read this post. Hopefully, we’ve given a thorough and informative answer to the question, “do I get full pay if injured at work?” To find out more, or get a free eligibility check, talk to one of our advisors today.