Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - How much Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will I get?

New Style Employment and Support Allowance

The amount of New Style Employment and Support Allowance you can get depends on:

• How old you are
• Whether you have had the Work Capability Assessment yet
• If you have had the Work Capability Assessment, whether you are in the work-related activity group or the support group
• When your claim started

Before the Work Capability Assessment, the amount you get is a personal allowance based on your age:

• Under 25: £72.90 per week
• 25 and over: £92.05 per week

After the Work Capability Assessment, the amount you get depends on when your claim started and which group you are in:

• Work-related activity group and claim started before 3 April 2017: up to £128.60 per week
• Work-related activity group and claim started on or after 3 April 2017: up to £92.05 per week
• Support group, whenever your claim started: up to £140.55 per week

The amount you get may be reduced if you are receiving pension payments (over £85 per week), councillor's allowance (over £195.50 per week) or an overlapping benefit.

If you are in the work-related activity group, your New Style ESA will stop after one year. You can read about the time limit on our Employment and Support Allowance time limit page.

Benefit Cap

Employment and Support Allowance is included in the Benefit Cap which limits the total amount in some benefits that working-age people can receive.

However, if you or your partner is in the support group, you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap.

Visit our Benefit Cap information for more details.

How will I be paid Employment and Support Allowance?

Employment and Support Allowance will be paid directly into your bank or building society account or through the Payment Exception Service if you are unable to open or manage one of these or a similar account.

Employment and Support Allowance is usually paid every two weeks

If you have a terminal illness, there are special rules. You can get Employment and Support Allowance from the first day of sickness.

Sanctions (for people in the Work-Related Activity Group)

If you are in work-related activity group, you will have to comply with conditions for your ESA to keep being paid. If you do not comply with the conditions, you could be sanctioned. 

Employment and Support Allowance and other benefits

New Style Employment and Support Allowance is taken into account as income when calculating other benefits.