Do Online GP Sick Notes Actually Count? What UK Employers Can and Cannot Ask For in 2026

Need a fit note today? Message us on WhatsApp, book a consultation or call 020 3951 3429.

What makes a sick note valid

The document employers call a sick note is formally a fit note, or Statement of Fitness for Work. It can be issued by a doctor, and since July 2022 also by nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists who are appropriately registered. The clinician must assess you and use their professional judgement, the note must state whether you are not fit for work or may be fit with adjustments, and it must be signed, which includes a digital signature.

Nothing in the rules requires the assessment to happen face to face. Government guidance on fit notes recognises telephone and video consultations as legitimate ways to assess someone for a note, provided the clinician has enough information to make a sound judgement. A fit note from a GMC-registered private GP working by phone or video is as much a real fit note as one written in an NHS consulting room.

What your employer can and cannot ask for

For the first seven calendar days of sickness, your employer cannot require a fit note at all: you self-certify, usually on the company's own form or HMRC's SC2. Only after seven days can an employer ask for medical evidence, and the fit note is that evidence. An employer does not have an automatic right to your diagnosis beyond what the note states, and ACAS guidance is clear that fit notes from any registered clinician should be treated the same way.

Occasionally an employer asks for more detail, such as a medical report for an occupational health review. That is a different document, needs your consent, and takes longer. A private GP can help with both, but for ordinary sickness absence the fit note is all that is required.

Do you need a fit note at all? A 30-second check

Days 1 to 7: you do not need a fit note. Employers normally ask you to self-certify. Day 8 onwards: GOV.UK says employees must give their employer a fit note if they have been ill for more than 7 days in a row, counting weekends and bank holidays (GOV.UK, Taking sick leave, https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave, checked 13 October 2026). A fit note says you are either "not fit for work" or "may be fit for work", and the healthcare professional must assess your fitness for work before issuing it.

The honest comparison with the NHS. GOV.UK states fit notes are free if you have been ill for more than 7 days when you ask for one, and a professional may charge a fee for 7 days or fewer. An NHS GP is therefore a free route when you can get an appointment. A private doctor is for when you need to be seen today, at a time that suits your work, and want an assessment of whether a fit note is appropriate. Confirm any fees and timing before booking.

Not sure what your employer will accept? Message us on WhatsApp, book a consultation or call 020 3951 3429.

Free checklist: what to tell the doctor so your note stands up

1. The date your symptoms started, and which days you have been off work.

2. What you do at work and how the illness stops you doing it. The note is about fitness for work, not just the diagnosis.

3. Anything you have already tried, and any medicines you take.

4. Whether you want the note to cover a period that began before today, and why. The doctor can only certify a period they have a reasonable basis for.

5. Your employer's name or HR contact, if they need the note sent directly.

Timeline: from first symptom to a fit note

Day 1 to 7: rest, self-certify, no fit note needed. Day 8: your employer can ask for medical evidence. Same day you book: phone (£59), video (from £150) or in-person consultation (fees confirmed before booking). Clinical assessment decides whether a fit note is appropriate; confirm any document fees and delivery timing before booking. If you need to be examined: the doctor says so and arranges it, rather than writing a note that would not stand up.

Red flags: do not wait for a fit note

Call 999 for chest pain, severe breathlessness, signs of stroke, or a severe allergic reaction. Use NHS 111 for urgent advice that is not an emergency. If low mood or stress is why you are off work and you feel unsafe, call Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24 hours) or 999 in an emergency. A fit note is paperwork. Your health comes first.

Ready to be seen? Message us on WhatsApp, book a consultation or call 020 3951 3429.

How an online sick note consultation works

You describe what is wrong, how it affects your work and when it started. The doctor assesses you properly, which for many conditions, such as flu, migraine, back pain, gastroenteritis or a mental health problem, can be done safely by phone or video. If the doctor thinks you need to be examined or that your condition needs different evidence, they will say so and arrange the right next step instead of issuing a note that would not stand up.

Clinical assessment decides whether a fit note is appropriate. Confirm any document fees and delivery timing before booking. At The Online GP by The Wellness, phone consultations are £59, video consultations start from £150 and in-person appointment fees at Unit 4, 10 Portman Square, London W1H 6AZ are confirmed before booking, with same-day appointments available seven days a week. To discuss a fit note assessment, message us on WhatsApp, book your consultation or call 020 3951 3429.

Frequently asked questions

Do online GP sick notes count for Statutory Sick Pay?

Yes. For SSP purposes an employer needs medical evidence after seven days, and a fit note from any registered doctor, including a private or online GP, meets that requirement. The route of the consultation does not change the note's status.

Can my employer refuse a sick note from a private GP?

An employer should not refuse a properly issued fit note simply because it came from a private or online doctor. ACAS and government guidance treat fit notes from all registered clinicians alike. If an employer has a specific occupational health process, they may request a separate report with your consent, but the fit note itself remains valid evidence of sickness.

Can I get a sick note without seeing a doctor in person?

Yes, when the condition can be assessed safely by phone or video, which covers most short-term illnesses. The clinician must still make a genuine assessment, and a responsible service will decline or redirect you if your condition needs a physical examination first.

How quickly can I get a fit note?

Clinical assessment decides whether a fit note is appropriate. Confirm any document fees and delivery timing before booking.

Can a fit note be backdated?

A doctor can certify a period of sickness that began before the consultation when the evidence supports it, such as your account and any available records. They cannot certify a period they have no reasonable basis for, and a note will never be written to order regardless of the clinical facts.

References

GOV.UK. Fit notes: guidance for patients and employees. gov.uk, 2026.

GOV.UK. Taking sick leave. gov.uk, checked 13 October 2026. https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave

ACAS. Sick pay and fit notes. acas.org.uk, 2026.

NHS. When do I need a fit note? nhs.uk, 2025.

Written by The Wellness Team and medically reviewed by The Wellness Clinical Team. This article is for information only and does not replace a consultation or your employer's own HR policies.

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