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.

To request a new Fit Note, we ask that you request this via eConsult- alternatively please book an appointment with a Doctor. To renew a Fit Note; please use eConsult to request this as a GP appointment is not needed.

A Fit Note note can be signed by a Doctor, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Pharmacist, or Physiotherapist. The GP can either say you are not fit for work, or can say you may be fit for work. The GP will choose the option for may be fit to work if they think that returning to work – with support from your employer – will help you.

Please note Fit Notes can be back-dated but cannot be set for a future date.

Your employer can ask you to confirm that you've been ill. You can do this by filling in a form yourself when you return to work. This is called self-certification.

Self-certification forms usually include details such as:

• information about your sickness or illness
• the date your sickness started
• the date your sickness ended

These dates may be days that you don't normally work. For example, your sickness could start or end on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday.

Many employers have their own self-certification forms. If your employer doesn't have their own form, instead they may use an SC2 form from HM Revenue & Customs Employee's Statement of Sickness.

Download a template self certifcation form

There is usually no charge for providing a fit note if you are off sick for more than seven days.

Some employers may request a fit note (e.g. from employees who repeatedly take time off sick) even if they are off work for seven days or less. This is a private non-NHS medical certificate.

For sickness of seven days or less, a charge of £30 is payable in order for us to provide a certificate.