Can you claim Income-related Employment Support Allowance and is it included in Universal Credit?
WORKERS who have an illness or disability may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
It is available for those in work, out of work, and the self-employed.
Here we explain how it works, how much you can claim, how it’s affected by the Universal Credit rollout, and what number you need to call to apply for it.
What is Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?
If you are ill or disabled and this affects your ability to work, you may be able to claim weekly payments with ESA.
There are three types of ESA you can apply for:
- Income-related ESA, available to those on a low income who have not made enough National Insurance contributions
- Contributory ESA, for those who have paid enough National Insurance
- ‘New style’ ESA, for those claiming Universal Credit
The kind of ESA you can claim for and how much you’ll receive depends on your own circumstances.
Income-related ESA is means tested, so your needs, and those of your partner if you have one, are compared to your income and savings when working out how much money you’re entitled to.
Contributory ESA and the new style ESA are not means tested. They are based on the amount of National Insurance you have paid in the previous two years. For these two, your partner’s savings and income are not taken into account.
To claim for ESA you’ll need a Work Capacity Assessment
In order to receive any kind of ESA you need to first undergo what’s called a “Work Capability Assessment”.
This is carried out to see how your illness or disability affects your ability to work. Once it’s been completed you will then be put into one of two groups and this affects how much you will receive.
If you’re put into the “work-related activity group”, you’ll have regular interviews with an employment adviser to improve your skills and prospects of getting a job or progressing in your current position.
Your payments may be temporarily stopped or reduced if you don’t attend one of these meetings, and they can be stopped for up to four weeks after you’ve restarted the meetings.
If you’re put into the “support group”, which is for people who have an illness or disability that severely limits what they can do, you won’t need to go to any meetings but you can talk to a personal adviser if you want to.
You may also need to have a “health and work conversation” to talk about what support you need. If you are told you need one, it’ll be arranged for around four weeks after the date of your first claim.
Am I eligible for Employment and Support Allowance?
In order to receive ESA your illness or disability will affect your ability to work and the following must apply:
- You must be aged 16 or over and under state pension age
- You must not be receiving statutory sick pay or statutory maternity pay
- You must not be receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance
- You cannot claim income-related ESA if you or your partner’s savings or capital are more than £16,000
- You cannot claim contributory or new style ESA if you’ve not made enough National Insurance payments
If you’re already receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment you can also apply for ESA.
How much money can you expect with ESA?
How much money you receive depends on a lot of things, including your personal circumstances, your income, the type of ESA you qualify for, and where in the assessment process you are.
When you first make a claim for ESA you’ll be paid up to £57.90 per week if you’re aged under 25, or up to £73.10 per week if you’re aged 25 or over.
This is paid for the 13 weeks after you have put in your first claim. During this time the work capacity assessment is carried out and when that has happened, the amount of money you receive will change.
If you’ve been placed in the work-related activity group, you’re entitled to up to £73.10 per week and if you’re in the support group you can claim up to £110.75 per week.
If you’re receiving the new style or contributory ESA the payments will last for a year if you’ve been placed in the work-related group. At this point you can reapply for either when 12 weeks has passed since you received your last payment.
If you’re in the support group, or you’re receiving income-related ESA, there is no time limit on receiving the weekly payments.
Is ESA included in Universal Credit?
If you live in an area with a full service of Universal Credit you can apply for the new style ESA.
It works in exactly the same way as contributory ESA.
If you’re receiving income-related ESA this is being replaced by Universal Credit.
You’ll be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) when it’s time to switch on to Universal Credit.
To check if your area has full service Universal Credit, check the updated lists on the .
Universal Credit is being rolled-out across the country and more than 60 areas have started a full service this month.
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If you don’t live in an area with a full service, but you are already claiming Universal Credit, or you claimed it in the past six months and your payments ended because of your earnings, you can apply for the new style ESA.
If you’ve already had a work capacity assessment and you’ve been placed in either a work
-related activity group or a support group you shouldn't have to have another assessment when moved onto Universal Credit.
At the moment the plan is to have everyone in the UK moved over to Universal Credit by March 2023.
How can you apply for ESA and what number should you call?
It’s easiest to apply for ESA on the phone and the number you need to call depends on the type of ESA you’re claiming for.
If you’re applying for the new style ESA and you live in an area with Universal Credit you will need to call: 0800 328 5644, between Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.
If you live in an area without a full service but you are eligible for the new style JSA you will need to call: 0800 328 9344, between Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.
If you’re claiming contributory or income-related ESA, you’ll need to call the following number: 0800 055 6688, between Monday and Friday, 8am to 6pm.
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