Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

What is Employment and Support Allowance?

Employment and Support Allowance is for people who are unable to work due to illness or disability and who are under Pension Age.

ESA is made up of two parts:

• non-means tested and contribution based ESA (also called ‘New Style ESA’) for those who have paid sufficient national insurance contributions and
• means-tested income related ESA for those who have a low or no income.

New style ESA is normally payable for 365 days but can continue if you are in the ‘Support Group’ for example.

Universal Credit is replacing most new claims for working age means-tested benefits, including income related ESA, but some people still receive it.

Newcastle Welfare Rights have useful webpages on Universal Credit.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

Employees who are sick may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. Entitlement depends on your earnings amount and so on, and is payable for 28 weeks. You may be entitled to a Universal Credit top-up whilst working or on SSP or on other benefits. You can claim ESA once your SSP runs out – or claim it if you aren’t entitled to SSP. See more details about SSP from gov.uk

Am I eligible for Employment and Support Allowance?

If you have an illness or disability that affects your ability to work, you may receive Employment and Support Allowance.

Employment and Support Allowance involves taking part in an assessment called the Work Capability Assessment. This assesses what you are able and not able to do according to set criteria using a points system.

Most people claiming Employment and Support Allowance may be expected to take steps to prepare for work, including attending work focused interviews with their Jobcentre work coach. Those with a higher level of ill health will not be expected to do this, may go into the ‘support group’ and get extra amount called the ‘support component’.

Newcastle Welfare Rights Service has produced a helpful factsheet which explains how to score enough points for the ‘work capability test’ for Employment and Support Allowance and the criteria for the ‘support group’, and what to do if refused ESA or unhappy with the decision.

How Employment and Support Allowance works

Employment and Support Allowance consists of two phases:

• Assessment Phase: This is the first 13 weeks of your claim while you wait for a decision to be made on your capability for work. Employment and Support Allowance is paid at a basic rate.
• Main Phase: This starts from week 14 of your claim if the Work Capability Assessment shows that your illness or disability does limit your ability to work. In other words, you have scored 15 points. A support component may be paid on top of the basic rate of Employment and Support Allowance if you have greater disability or ill health. You can be ‘treated as’ satisfying the 15 points or the support group criteria in certain circumstances such as being found fit for work would lead to a serious risk to your health.

For further information, including how to apply and the current rates, visit Employment and Support Allowance on Gov.UK.

Benefit cap

Your benefit(s) may be limited by the Benefit cap.

How do I apply for Employment and Support Allowance?

You claim ESA on an online form via the government Employment and Support Allowance webpage which includes contact details. You can only now make a new claim for (contributory) new style ESA and cannot normally make a new claim for income related ESA – instead you would have to claim  Universal Credit.

The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill means that people considered by a clinician as having 12 months or less to live can have fast-tracked access to this benefit. The extended fast-track access means those eligible are not subject to a face-to-face assessment, or waiting period, with the majority of individuals receiving the highest rate of those benefits.

• Employment and Support Allowance – Gov.UK page

• Money Advice Service provides online information on the full range of benefits that you may be entitled to.  This also includes where to find more help and advice.

• The Payment Exception Service is for those without a bank account to pay state benefits and Pension credit. Information Now has more details on the service available to those unable to use bank accounts.
• You may be eligible for free NHS prescriptions if you receive Income Support; Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.  Use the  NHS BSA eligibility checker.
• NHS Healthy Start Scheme is for people who are more than 10 weeks pregnant, or have children under the age of 4, who receive certain benefits. You get a free prepaid card that’s topped up every 4 weeks to buy: milk, fruit and vegetables. You can also collect free vitamins from locations listed here. You can use the card in shops that accept Mastercard payments and sell at least one of these Healthy Start foods.
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• You can apply for a Budgeting Loan to help with a single expense if you are eligible and get a qualifying benefit such as income related ESA..

Last updated: July 26, 2024