You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. ESA gives you: money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work support to get back into work if you’re able to You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed. This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and in an easy read format .

You can apply for New Style Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) if you’re under State Pension age and you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. You also need to have both: worked as an employee or have been self-employed paid enough National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years - National Insurance credits also count Check your National Insurance record for gaps. You cannot get New Style ESA if you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Statutory Sick Pay Claiming Universal Credit and New Style ESA You might be able to get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA . If you get both benefits, your Universal Credit payment is reduced by the amount you get for New Style ESA . Your New Style ESA will usually be paid more regularly than Universal Credit. You’ll also get different National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension and help you qualify for other benefits. Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit . If your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is due to end You can apply for New Style ESA up to 3 months before your SSP ends. You’ll start getting New Style ESA as soon as your SSP ends. If you’re working You can apply whether you’re in or out of work. There are conditions to working while claiming ESA .

How much you get will depend on what stage your application is at, as well as things like your age and whether you’re able to get back into work. If you get New Style ESA you’ll earn Class 1 National Insurance credits , which can help towards your State Pension and some benefits in the future. What might affect how much you get paid If you get New Style ESA Your payments will be affected if you get more than £85 a week from a private pension. If you do, half of your private pension income over £85 will be subtracted from your ESA payments each week. For example, if you get £100 a week from a private pension, then £7.50 will be subtracted from your ESA payment each week. If your private pension income is high enough, you could get no ESA payments. You would still get Class 1 National Insurance credits. If you get income-related ESA You cannot make a new claim for income-related ESA. You’ll continue to get payments while you’re eligible until your claim ends. Your household income and savings worth £6,000 or more may affect how much you can get. While your claim is being assessed You’ll normally get the ‘assessment rate’ for 13 weeks while your claim is being assessed. This will be: up to £71.70 a week if you’re aged under 25 up to £90.50 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 or until your ESA is due to end. Your ESA will be backdated if you’re owed any money after 13 weeks. After you’re assessed You’ll be placed into one of 2 groups if you’re entitled to ESA . If you’re able to get back into work in the future, you’ll be put into the work-related activity group. Otherwise, you’ll be put into the support group. You’ll get: up to £90.50 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group up to £138.20 a week if you’re in the support group If you’re in the support group If you’re in the support group and on income-related ESA , you’re also entitled to the enhanced disability premium. You may also qualify for the severe disability premium. Find out how to apply for a disability premium . How and when you’re paid You’ll get paid ESA every 2 weeks. Find out how and when your benefits are paid . Other benefits you can claim You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA . Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit . Use a benefits calculator to find out what other benefits you could get, for example Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) if you have a long-term health condition or disability. The benefit cap may affect the total amount of benefit you can get. The cap will not affect you if you’re in the support group. If you’re moving to Universal Credit from income-related ESA If your income-related ESA claim is ending because you’re making a new claim for Universal Credit, you’ll automatically continue to get the amount of ESA you currently receive, as long as you’re still eligible. You’ll normally get this for 2 weeks, starting from the date of your new claim. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you telling you how this works. You do not need to pay this money back, and it will not affect the amount of Universal Credit you get. Budgeting Loan You can apply for a Budgeting Loan if you’ve been on income-related ESA for at least 6 months. Advice on money and debt You can get help and advice from your Jobcentre Plus work coach or: Citizens Advice Money Helper National Debtline Shelter Turn2us

Working while you claim

You can usually work while you are claiming ESA if both of the following apply: you work less than 16 hours a week you do not earn more than £183.50 a week You can do as many hours of voluntary work as you like. Tell Jobcentre Plus about your work including any volunteering when you make a claim. If you’re already claiming ESA and want to start work, fill in the ESA permitted work form . Send the form to Jobcentre Plus.

You could get Universal Credit at the same time or instead of New Style ESA . Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit . There’s a different way to apply in Northern Ireland . What you need to apply You’ll need: your National Insurance number your bank or building society account number and sort code (you can use a friend or family member’s account if you do not have one) your doctor’s name, address and telephone number a fit note (sometimes called a ‘sick note’ or a ‘statement of fitness for work’) if you’ve not been able to work for more than 7 days in a row because of a disability or health condition details of your income, if you’re working the date your Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) ends, if you’re claiming it You cannot get New Style ESA if you’re getting Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from an employer. You can apply for New Style ESA up to 3 months before your SSP ends. Apply online for ESA Once you’ve applied, you’ll be contacted by phone and told when to give the evidence and where to send it. You cannot apply online if you’re applying as an appointee on someone else’s behalf. Apply now When you can apply by phone Call the Jobcentre Plus new claims helpline if: you cannot make an application online you’re an appointee for someone Jobcentre Plus new claims helpline Telephone: 0800 055 6688 Textphone: 0800 328 1344 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 055 6688 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Welsh language telephone: 0800 328 1744 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Find out about call charges After you apply The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) will contact you within 10 working days of applying. If you’re eligible DWP will contact you within 10 working days to schedule an appointment that you must attend. It will normally be over the phone with a work coach from your local Jobcentre Plus office. If your appointment is in-person at a Jobcentre Plus office, you’ll need to bring ID and proof of address . Your work coach will explain what you need to do to get New Style ESA . They will create an agreement with you called a ‘Claimant Commitment’. You must agree to your Claimant Commitment before you can get New Style ESA . At the appointment, you’ll be asked to: explain how your illness or disability affects your ability to work provide medical evidence agree to tell your local Jobcentre Plus if your circumstances change If a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live, you will not need to attend an appointment or make a Claimant Commitment. Find out more about getting benefits if you’re nearing the end of life . If you’re not eligible DWP will send you a letter within 10 working days of applying to explain why you’re not eligible for ESA . If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for ‘mandatory reconsideration’. Reapplying for ESA You cannot make a new claim for income-related ESA. You’ll continue to get payments while you’re eligible until your claim ends. You may be able to reapply after your New Style ESA ends. You may qualify again depending on: what National Insurance contributions you paid in the last 2 full tax years before the tax year you’re claiming in whether you’re placed in the support group because you developed a new condition or your health deteriorated

After you’ve made your claim, you’ll be told if you need to have a ‘Work Capability Assessment’ and what group you’ll be put in. Work Capability Assessment A Work Capability Assessment is used to find out if your illness or disability affects how much you can work. You might not need one, for example if you’re in hospital or a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live. If you need a Work Capability Assessment you’ll get a letter telling you to fill in the ‘Capability for work questionnaire’ and send it to the Health Assessment Advisory Service. The address is on the form. There is a different questionnaire in Northern Ireland . You’ll be told what happens next, for example if you need an appointment to understand your health condition better. If you’re claiming both Universal Credit and New Style ESA , you’ll only have one Work Capability Assessment. You can ask for your assessment to be recorded. If you would like this, tell the Health Assessment Advisory Service using the contact details in your appointment invite letter. How the assessment happens Assessments can be in person, by video call or on the phone. You’ll be told how your assessment will take place. You can have someone else with you at the assessment, such as a friend or support worker. If your assessment is by phone or video call, you can ask the assessor to call them if they’re not with you when the assessment starts. You’ll stay on the ‘assessment rate’ until a decision can be made on your Work Capability Assessment. After your claim is assessed If you’re entitled to ESA you’ll be placed in one of 2 groups: a work-related activity group (you cannot work now, but can prepare to work in the future, for example by writing a CV) a support group (you cannot work now and you’re not expected to prepare for work in the future) You will: usually be in the support group if your illness or disability severely limits what you can do be in the support group if a medical professional has said you might have 12 months or less to live If you’re in the work-related activity group You must attend regular interviews with a work coach. They can help you improve your skills or write a CV to help you get back into work. If you’re in the support group You do not have to go to interviews. You can tell your work coach if you’d like to take part in work-related activities. How long you’ll get ESA for You cannot make a new claim for income-related ESA. You’ll continue to get payments while you’re eligible until your claim ends. New Style and contribution-based ESA last for 365 days if you’re in the work-related activity group. There’s no time limit if you’re in the support group, or if you’re getting income-related ESA . To keep getting ESA you must report any change in your circumstances . You may also need to send fit notes regularly. If you get a sanction Your ESA can be reduced if you do not attend interviews or do work-related activity as agreed with your work coach in your ‘Claimant Commitment’. This reduction can continue for up to 4 weeks after you restart work-related activities. You’ll get a letter to say you may be sanctioned. Tell your work coach if you have a good reason for not doing what was agreed in your Claimant Commitment. You’ll get another letter if the decision is made to give you a sanction. Your benefit will only be affected once a decision has been made. You should contact your local council immediately if you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction. They’ll tell you what to do to continue getting support. If you get a sanction you can: ask for the decision to be looked at again ask for a hardship payment You will not get a sanction if you’re in the support group. Hardship payments If you get income-related ESA , you may be able to get a hardship payment if your benefit has been reduced because of a sanction or a penalty due to suspected benefit fraud . A hardship payment is a reduced amount of your ESA . You do not have to pay it back. You can get a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating, food or other basic needs for you or your family. You must be 18 or over. Speak to your Jobcentre Plus adviser or work coach to find out how to claim a hardship payment.

Report a change of circumstances

You must report changes to your circumstances so you keep getting the right amount of ESA . The amount you get could go up or down. Your benefit might be stopped or reduced if you do not report a change straight away. You may also need to report changes to other organisations paying you benefits. Find out how to report a change of circumstances for other benefits . What you need to report This list does not cover every change you must report. Call Jobcentre Plus if you’re not sure whether you need to report a change. You may be prosecuted or have to pay a £50 penalty if you give wrong or incomplete information. Changes to personal details You must report if you: change your bank details change your telephone number have someone start or stop living with you You must report if you or anyone who lives with you has a change in immigration status, if you or they are not a British citizen. You must report if you, anyone who lives with you, or your husband, wife or civil partner: changes name changes address leaves Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for any period of time gets married or forms a civil partnership gets divorced or ends a civil partnership has a baby or gets pregnant goes into prison or legal custody If anyone who lives with you or your husband, wife or civil partner dies, report this using the Tell Us Once service instead. Changes to a medical condition or disability You must report if you or someone included on your claim: has any changes to a medical condition or disability goes into hospital, a care home or sheltered accommodation changes doctor starts or stops caring for someone Changes to work or education You must report if you, anyone who lives with you, or your husband, wife or civil partner: starts or stops education, training or an apprenticeship finds or leaves a job, or starts working different hours is involved in a trade dispute, or is unable to work because of a trade dispute (for example, if there’s a strike) Changes to income and benefits You must report if you or anyone who lives with you: has a change to their salary or earnings from work gets paid back-pay (sometimes called ‘arrears’) for their salary or earnings from work starts or stops getting a benefit or a pension starts or stops getting any other regular source of money (for example, student loans or grants, sick pay, or money from a charity) has a change to the amount of money they get from a benefit, a pension or any other regular source of money You must also report if anyone caring for you starts or stops getting: Carer’s Allowance Carer Support Payment the carer element of Universal Credit Changes to assets Assets are things like: savings or investments property one-off payments (for example, money from inheritance or a lump sum payment) You must report if you and anyone who lives with you starts or stops having £6,000 or more in total assets between you. If you already have over £6,000 in total assets between you, you must report any increase or decrease to the value of those assets. If you’ve been paid too much If you give wrong or incomplete information or do not report a change straight away, you might be paid too much. If you are, you might have to pay some of the money back . How to report You can report a change of circumstances by: calling Jobcentre Plus writing to the Jobcentre Plus office that pays your ESA - the address is on the letters you get about your ESA Jobcentre Plus Telephone: 0800 169 0310 Textphone: 0800 169 0314 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 169 0310 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Welsh language: 0800 328 1744 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Find out about call charges If you get Universal Credit at the same time as New Style ESA, you must also report the changes of circumstances in your Universal Credit account . If you’re in Northern Ireland contact the ESA Centre .

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Overview

You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work.

ESA gives you:

money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work
support to get back into work if you’re able to

You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) and in an easy read format.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Overview

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Overview

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