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Employment and Support Allowance

Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Who does it help?

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is money for people who have limited capability for work because of their sickness or disability. It is for people who do not get Statutory Sick Pay. ESA is a benefit which replaced Incapacity Benefit and Income Support for people who are sick or have disabilities for most new claims from 27 October 2008.

People who are already getting Incapacity Benefit or Income Support because of sickness or disability will carry on getting it for the time being. However, these benefits are to be phased out. People receiving them will be reassessed to see if they are capable of work. If they are found to be capable of work, they will be moved to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). If they are not capable of work, they will be moved to ESA or another benefit that suits their needs. See our information sheet on reassessment of incapacity benefits for more information.

There are two sorts of ESA:

• contributory ESA, which you can get if you have paid enough national insurance contributions. However, if you become unfit for work before you are 20 (25 in some cases), you do not need to meet the national insurance contribution conditions.
• income-related ESA, which you can get if your income and savings are low enough – see below.

You may be able to get one or both sorts of ESA depending on your circumstances.

You must be 16 or over and under state pension age. This used to be 60 for a woman and 65 for a man but this is changing for a lot of people. You can work out the exact date of your state pension age by using the state pension age calculator (link opens in a new window) on the Government's Directgov website.

For both sorts of ESA, you will usually have to have various assessments [see below] to prove you have limited capability for work.

People who have a terminal illness

If you have a terminal illness, there are special rules regarding ESA. You can get the benefit from the first day of sickness and will not have to score points in a medical examination. You will get ESA with a support component from the start of your claim.

Is it means-tested?

Contributory ESA is not means-tested.

To get income-related ESA, your income will be compared with an amount the Government thinks is enough for you to live on. 

If your income is less than this amount, you will get the difference between your income and the amount the Government thinks is enough for you to live on, depending on your circumstances.

If your income is equal to or more than this amount, you won't get income-related ESA. You can't get any income-related ESA if you have savings of more than £16,000.

What help does the benefit provide?

ESA is money that that you can spend as you want.  If you are getting income-related ESA and you have a mortgage, you can also get help with some of your housing costs. You'll also get the maximum amount of Housing Benefit. 

ESA is usually paid into your bank or building society account.  You can be paid at a post office in some cases.

How much does it pay?

The amount of ESA you can get depends on different factors:

• whether you are getting contributory ESA or income-related ESA or both
• whether you are in the first 13 weeks of a claim
• what level of support you are considered to need after the first 13 weeks
• whether you are aged 25 or over
• whether you live with a partner.

For example, for contributory ESA, if you are a single person under 25, in the first 13 weeks of a claim, you can get up to £53.45.  If you are a single person aged 25 and over, you can get up to £67.50. Depending on your circumstances you may be able to get more money if you get income-related ESA.

You can find out all the current rates of ESA (link opens in a new window) from the Government's Directgov website.

Is this a taxable benefit?

Income-related ESA is not a taxable benefit.

Contributory ESA is a taxable benefit. You must tell your tax office if you start to get contributory ESA.

How to claim

Make your initial claim by phoning 0800 055 6688 in England, Wales and Scotland, or 0800 085 6318 in Northern Ireland. There is a Welsh language number which is 0800 012 1888. When they have spoken to you, you will be sent a statement of your situation to check. You need to notify them if there is any error in the statement.

You could also make an application for ESA:

• on the Directgov website (link opens in a new window)
• apply in writing – contact your local benefits office for details of how to do this.

During the first 13 weeks of a claim, you will have a number of different assessments or medical examinations.  The first assessment checks whether you have limited capability for work. You will only qualify for ESA if you satisfy this test.

A second assessment will then look at what you need to do to help you get back to work.  If you have a severe disability, you will be put in a group called the Support Group. If you are not put in a support group, you'll be put in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG), which will involve a third assessment about the activities you can do and monthly work-focused interviews with a personal adviser from the Department for Work and Pensions.

You can make a backdated claim for ESA for three months before the date of your claim, as long as you fit the eligibility criteria during this period. You do not have to give a reason for a backdated claim.  

Documents you need

You have to provide:

• medical evidence of your condition
• evidence of who you are, for example, a driving licence or birth certificate
• your national insurance number and the national insurance number of your partner if you are claiming income-related ESA. If you do not have a national insurance number, you should be given one when you make your claim. 

Benefits Changes and ESA

As part of the changes to the benefits system announced by the Government last year, a time limit of one year is to be introduced from April 2012 for people claiming contributory ESA who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG).  This change needs to be agreed as part of the Welfare Reform Bill which will be presented to.Parliament early in 2011. We explain how it will work below.

Time-limiting of ESA

If the changes to ESA proposed in the Welfare Reform Bill are passed, this will mean that from April 2012:

• For new contributory ESA claims, a time limit of one year is to apply to claimants who are placed in the WRAG from April 2012
• For existing claims, people in the WRAG already receiving contributory ESA as at April 2012 will have the period of time already spent on that benefit before April 2012 taken into account in calculating the one year period. For example, someone claiming contributory ESA on 1st January 2012 will have received three months benefit by April and will be entitled (subject to other conditions of entitlement being met) to a further nine months benefit 
• The 13 week assessment phase will form part of the calculation of the one year period
• For people who have already received a year or more contributory ESA as at April 2012, their entitlement to contributory ESA will cease immediately
• Claimants who are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit who are reassessed and qualify for ESA (C) before April 2012 will have their benefit time limited – with the 12 months period running from the point of conversion
• People who are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit and are reassessed and qualify for ESA (C) after April 2012 will also receive 12 months ESA(C) from the point of conversion
• Claimants in receipt of income-related ESA and all those in the ESA Support Group are unaffected by this change.

Jobcentre Plus will be contacting those affected to inform them of the new arrangements and how these changes will affect their entitlement to ESA in due course.

If you are worried about the effects that the changes to the benefits system will have on your personal situation, we recommend that you discuss this with an expert benefits adviser. You can use the Find an Adviser tool on our website to find a local one.

For more information on the forthcoming changes to the benefits system, see our guide to benefits and the benefits system.

Further help

• For general enquiries about ESA, you can phone:  0800 055 6688 or Textphone: 0800 023 4888.  There is also a Welsh language line number on: 0800 012 1888.  In Northern Ireland, phone: 0800 085 6318 or if you have hearing or speech problems: 0800 328 3419. 
• The Citizens Advice website (link opens in a new window) can give you more information about ESA
• The Directgov website has more information on ESA (link opens in a new window) 
• See Long term illness/disability and Useful links.

This information has been produced by Citizens Advice

Last updated: 11 April 2011