Provided is an image encoding method which inhibits deterioration in processing performance for encoding while improving transmission efficiency. The image encoding method is for generating a bitstream by encoding a picture, and includes: sequentially encoding blocks included in the picture; deriving an encoding amount of a slice segment each time one of the blocks is encoded as a current block, the slice segment including the current block; determining whether the encoding amount derived is at least a threshold; and setting end information indicating an end of the slice segment in a position in the bitstream when the encoding amount is determined to be at least the threshold, the position corresponding to the current block encoded.