What If I Need Time Off for Health Reasons—But the Business Needs Me?

A Factsheet from

When you are the business, how do you stop without losing everything?

You’ve lost your voice, your back’s gone again, or your GP has said what you already knew: you’re running on empty. You need rest, maybe treatment. But there’s no cover. No sick pay. No one to take the reins.

For sole traders and micro business owners, getting ill feels like more than a health issue. It feels like a threat to your livelihood. Many try to work through it and make matters worse.

What do you do when your body says stop, but your business says carry on?

Admit the truth: You’re not invincible.

Many of us put off seeing a doctor, deny symptoms, or push through pain. The logic? “I can’t stop or everything will fall apart.”

But the longer you ignore your health, the worse the fallout. Clients may tolerate a two-week break. They may not wait for you to recover from a full collapse.

Stopping early and planning is better than breaking suddenly.

Know your rights (even if you’re self-employed).

You may not be entitled to statutory sick pay (SSP), but there is support available:

✅ New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
If you’ve paid enough National Insurance in the last 2–3 years, you could be eligible for ESA while you’re unable to work.
Apply for New Style ESA – GOV.UK

✅ Universal Credit
If your income drops, you may be able to claim UC, especially if you rent or have children.
Check eligibility – GOV.UK

✅ Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has now ended, but the government has signalled that similar emergency support may return in times of crisis.

Tell your customers what’s going on.

You don’t have to give medical details. But a short, professional message can go a long way:

“I’m currently taking a short health-related break and will be unable to take on new work until [date]. Thank you for your patience and support.”

Most people are more understanding than you fear, especially if you’ve built good relationships. If you disappear without explanation, they’ll assume the worst or go elsewhere for good.

Find flexible help.

If possible, look for:

• A trusted freelancer to take over temporarily
• A friendly competitor willing to cover urgent needs
• A virtual assistant to triage enquiries

Even a few hours of support per week can keep things ticking over. Check community groups or local business networks for short-term help.

Update your digital presence.

If you run a website or social media page, pin a short post or auto-response to let people know you’re on pause.

You don’t need to explain everything, just keep people in the loop. It shows professionalism, even in a crisis.

Prepare for next time.

If you’ve already been caught out, take this as your cue to build a safety net because there will be a next time:

• A separate savings pot for sick leave
• Business interruption insurance or Critical Illness or Income protection. There are insurance options even for sole traders. A broker can explain at the options and help you decide which to go for
• Standard operating procedures or templates someone else could follow if needed
• A list of trusted people you could call on in an emergency

Even just drafting a list of what needs doing weekly will help you or someone else manage better if you’re off unexpectedly.

Put your health before your pride.

You are not a failure if you take time off. You are not weak for asking for help. You are human and your health is the foundation of your business, not a side issue.

Burnout, long COVID, serious illness, are all survivable, if you treat them like the emergencies they are.

You didn’t build your business just to be trapped by it. You built it to create freedom and that includes the freedom to recover.

Register at http://www.business111.com for more factsheets By Liz Barclay