What is it?

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a benefit that you may be able to claim if you have a disability or health condition that affects your ability to work.

The only type of ESA that most people can make a new claim for is called new-style ESA, which has replaced contribution based ESA for new claimants.

Almost all new claims for income-related ESA have now been replaced by Universal Credit.

If you are already getting income-related ESA or contribution based ESA then you can, provided you continue to satisfy the entitlement conditions for the benefit, you can keep getting receiving these benefits. If you do currently still get income-related ESA, you will eventually be moved to Universal Credit.

The remainder of this information is about new-style ESA.

Am I eligible?

You can qualify for new-style ESA if all of the following apply:

• you are ill or have a health condition or disability that limits your ability to work
• you are not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), or your entitlement to SSP is coming to an end
• you have been working (either as an employee or self-employed) within the last two to three years and have paid, or been credited with, enough National Insurance contributions
• you are aged 16 or over
• you are under State Pension age

You can also qualify for new-style ESA if you’re not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay and one of the following applies:

• you or your child has symptoms of coronavirus
• you or your child are self-isolating because you came into contact with someone who might have coronavirus
• you have been told to stay at home for at least 12 weeks by the NHS because you’re at high risk of severe illness

You’ll need to show that your medical condition makes it difficult to work - this is called having 'limited capability for work'.

You will need to ask your GP or the doctor who's treating you for a 'fit note' which proves that you have you’ve got limited capability for work.

If the DWP accepts your claim, you’ll usually get your first new-style ESA payment a few weeks after you apply.

You won’t usually get ESA to cover the first seven days you had limited capability for work. These are known as ‘waiting days’.

What you will get?

How much are paid depends on what stage your application is at, as well as things like your age and whether you’re able to get back into work.

While your claim is being assessed

You’ll normally get the ‘assessment rate’ for the first 13 weeks, while your claim is being assessed.

This will be paid at the following weekly rates:

• £58.90 a week if you’re aged under 25
• £74.35 a week if you’re aged 25 or over

If it takes longer than 13 weeks to assess your claim, you’ll continue getting the ‘assessment rate’ until you get a decision.

Once you have been assessed

Once you have been assessed you will either be:

• found fit for work and your entitlement to ESA will end
• be considered as being able to do some work in the future and put into the work-related activity group.
• considered unfit for any work or work-related activity and put into the support group.

After you have been assessed you’ll will get:

• up to £74.35 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group
• up to £113.55 a week if you’re in the support group

What will affect my payment?

You (or your partner’s) savings will not affect how much new-style ESA you’re paid. If your partner works it does not affect your claim.

Most income is not taken into account but if you have a private pension of more than £85 a week this can affect the amount you receive.

Time limited

New-style ESA is usually time limited and can be paid for a maximum of 365 days (one year) unless, following your assessment, you are found to have limited capability for work related activity and placed in the support group. If placed in the support group you can be paid new-style ESA beyond the 365 day limit.

Your award notice from DWP will show you if you have a support component included in your new-style ESA payment.

How do I apply?

You can visit the DWP website and apply for new-style ESA online.

If you are unable to make an application online you can apply by calling the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.

If you and your partner both qualify for new-style ESA, you should make separate claims.

New-style ESA and other benefits

Universal Credit

You can get new-style ESA at the same time as Universal Credit but it will be taken into account as income when the DWP calculate how much Universal Credit you are entitled to.

Statutory Sick Pay

You cannot get new-style ESA at the same time as you get SSP from an employer. You can however, apply for new-style ESA  three months before your SSP ends, so that you can start getting paid new-style ESA as soon as your SSP ends.

Can I challenge the decision?

You can challenge a decision about new-style ESA if you are unhappy with it.

To find out how to do this please refer to our Challenging Decisions page.

How to contact us?

You can get in touch with us by emailing us at TPteam@northlan.gov.uk or by calling us on 01698 332551.