Millions of Brits will be able to get easier access to sick notes from today (July 1) thanks to a change in who can sign them off.
Under the old rules, only your doctor would be able to authorise a sick note, now more formally known as a “Fitness for Work” certificate.
But the number of people that can legally certify them has today been expanded to include nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists.
Your employer can ask you for a sick note if you're absent from work for more than seven days - including non-working days, such as weekends and bank holidays.
As well as providing written evidence as to why you can’t be in work, sick notes are also used to back up benefit claims.
It means the new measures should make it easier for people to claim sickness-related benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
People are eligible to apply for ESA if they have a disability or health condition that affects how much they can work.
The change to sick notes applies across England, Scotland and Wales and is being mirrored in Northern Ireland.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) said the measures will ease the pressure on NHS doctors and GPs.
Data from April shows that 6.48 million people are awaiting NHS treatment, including more than 300,000 who have been waiting over 12 months.
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe Smith MP said: “Too often we see people being faced with unnecessary challenges to get a fit note.
“More professionals being able to offer this vital service will speed up the process and support people to return to or remain in work.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid MP said: “Slashing unnecessary bureaucracy is key to ensuring more patients can see their GP quickly and get the care they need as we bust the Covid backlogs.
“That’s why we have introduced these powers to ensure certifying fit notes can be carried out by other healthcare professionals - helping to relieve pressures on GPs so they can focus on patients and deliver an extra 50 million appointments a year by 2024.”
The Government is relaxing the rules further after changing them in April so that GPs had the option to sign sick notes digitally instead of having to use a pen and paper.
Mr Javid has pledged to oversee a "digital revolution" to accelerate NHS access.
