Can I Get a Sick Note Online? Your Rights, the Process, and What Your Employer Can't Refuse

The legal position

A fit note issued electronically carries the same legal weight as a paper one. GOV.UK guidance confirms that fit notes can be completed and issued digitally, and an employer cannot insist on a particular format or on seeing an original paper copy. Discriminating against medical evidence because of the way the consultation took place is not lawful.

The rules on self certification are unchanged. You can self certify for the first 7 days of any illness without medical evidence. From day 8, your employer can ask for a fit note. A doctor can also issue a note within those first 7 days where it is clinically appropriate, for example after a severe illness, a mental health crisis or an operation, and your employer should accept it.

What your employer can and cannot ask

Your employer can keep the certificate on your file, use it for Statutory Sick Pay, and refer you to occupational health after a reasonable period.

They cannot refuse a legitimate fit note because it followed an online consultation, demand to know which service issued it, require a paper copy where a digital one is sufficient, contact your doctor directly, or demand more clinical detail than the note contains. If an employer refuses a valid fit note, ACAS provides free advice, and we can supply a letter confirming the certificate is genuine.

Conditions commonly certified

Acute infections are the most frequent reason: gastroenteritis (typically 3 to 5 days), flu and COVID (5 to 10 days), severe tonsillitis (3 to 7 days) and chest infections (5 to 14 days).

Mental health conditions are equally valid grounds: acute anxiety (1 to 4 weeks initially), depression (2 to 12 weeks, reviewed regularly), stress and burnout (typically 2 to 8 weeks) and bereavement (1 to 2 weeks as standard).

Surgical recovery varies with the procedure, from 2 to 3 days after dental surgery to several weeks after larger operations. Chronic conditions such as migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, back pain and chronic fatigue are certified according to the episode, with review where recovery takes longer.

How an online consultation works

First, choose a legitimate service. Check that the doctors are GMC registered and that the service is based in the UK.

Second, complete the consultation. Describe your symptoms honestly, mention the type of work you do because it affects recovery time, and list your existing conditions and current medication. This usually takes around 10 minutes.

Third, the doctor reviews your case. The duration of any certificate is decided on clinical grounds, not on request.

Fourth, your certificate is issued as a digitally signed PDF, sent to you by email, including the doctor GMC number. Contact us to begin your consultation.

What it costs

An NHS fit note is free but requires an appointment, and routine appointments can mean waiting days while you are unwell. Online private services typically charge between £35 and £60. Set against that, a day away from work to attend a surgery can cost £100 to £200 in lost earnings, before travel.

The Online GP by The Wellness charges from £59 for a same day fit note, issued after a proper clinical consultation. Message us on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429 to arrange yours today.

What the note can say

A fit note can state that you are not fit for work, or that you may be fit for work with adjustments. Adjustments might include a phased return, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations, and your doctor will discuss the wording that fits your condition and your job.

The note does not need to name your diagnosis. Where you prefer privacy, a general description is sufficient in law.

Fit to return certificates

Some employers ask for confirmation that you are fit to return. This is not a legal requirement, but we provide these certificates where clinically appropriate. They are particularly useful after infectious illness, surgery, mental health absence or any long term sickness, and they confirm your recovery and fitness for your duties.

Services to avoid

Do not use any service that guarantees a sick note without a consultation, offers backdated certificates, has no GMC registered doctors, issues notes for any duration requested, or asks nothing about your symptoms. Certificates from such services are fraudulent, and using one could cost you your job.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a sick note for stress?

Yes. Stress is a legitimate medical condition that requires recovery time. Your doctor assesses the severity, recommends an appropriate duration and can extend the note after review if needed.

Will my employer know I used a private service?

The certificate shows the issuing doctor details. Employers cannot discriminate between private and NHS medical care.

Can a sick note be backdated?

Only where you were genuinely unwell and can provide supporting evidence, such as pharmacy receipts or messages from the time. No responsible doctor backdates without clinical justification.

How long can an online sick note cover?

Initial certificates typically cover 1 to 4 weeks. Extensions are possible after review, and long term sickness requires regular reviews, which we provide.

What if my employer refuses the note?

Keep a written record of the refusal and contact ACAS for free advice. We can provide a letter confirming the validity of your certificate.

Your health matters more than workplace paperwork. A legally valid fit note can be with you within hours, and you do not need to travel while you are ill. Need a sick note today? The Online GP by The Wellness provides legitimate medical certificates from GMC registered doctors, from £59 with same day issue. Message us on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429. The Online GP by The Wellness, 10 Portman Square, Marylebone.